BM 

5"S0 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 

----- ©w*# $*♦»---•- 

Shelf. _,__D 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



n Sip 



noN 



THE VOICE OF TRUTH, 



TIIE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REYERSES, 



A PROOF 

THAT CEREMONIAL LAWS IN GENERAL DO NOT FORM THE 
STANDARD OF TRUE RELIGION. 



JACOB GOLDMAN. 



TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH 

BY 

Eev. S. GOODMAN". 



PHILADELPHIA ; 

KING & BAIRD, PRINTERS, 607 AND 609 SANSOM STREET, 
1870. 



v$ / 1 , 






na^n h)D 



THE VOICE OF TRUTH, 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES, 



JACOB GOLDMAN. 



TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH 



Eev. S. GOODMAN. 



Motto:— "TRUTH IS THE SEAL OF GOD." (Sabb. 55, A.) 



PHILADELPHIA : 

KING & BALED, PRINTERS, 607 AND 609 SANSOM STREET. 
1870. 



3^ 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by 

JACOB GOLDMAN, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 



KING & BAIRD, 

ELFCTROTYPERS, S TEREOTYPERS, AND PRINTERS, 

607 AND 609 SANSOM ST., PHILADELPHIA. 






Philadelphia, November, 1870. 
M BRINKMAN, Esq., 

Dear Sir :— By taking this book under your care, and for the 
many valuable services already rendered me, be assured that I consider myself a 
happy man in having made your acquaintance, and as I have long since wished for 
an opportunity of acknowledging my gratitude, permit me to inscribe this little work 
to you. 

Wishing you all you could possibly wish yourself, I subscribe myself, with 
sincere esteem, 

Yours, 

JACOB GOLDMAN. 



COTsTTESTTS 



PAGE. 



Preface & 

Introduction 9 

Habitual Wrong Remains, but is Hardly Ever Chal- 
lenged 11 

Praying. 14 

The Holy Scripture and Nature 10 

Ceremonial Law and the Tinge of Idolatry 21 

Real and Pretended Knowledge of God 25 

At the Synagogue and at Home . 26 

The Holy Time 23 

The Wanderer 30 

The Wild Indian's Fancy 31 

The Open Foe and Hidden Enemy ' . 32 

The Rich Man and a Poor Individual 36 

Justice and Kindness 37 

Man, be a Man 39 

Retribution Follows 41 

Is Talmudical Study a Sufficient Safeguard 42 

The Best of Study 44 

Light 44 

Astronomy is Highly Recommended 47 

Actions must have a limit — Science none 49 

The King's Letter 50 

Bewilderment 52 

Korah, the Layman, abhors two Things 53 

Korah's Contention with our Legal Leaders 59 

The Gardener in the Lord's Garden 62 

Responsibility in Proportion to Skill 63 

(3) 



4 CONTENTS 

PARR. 

Israel's Double Path. — Sabbath 66 

Temples 68 

The Unnecessary Fright , 71 

Money Involves Time 72 

This World and the World to come 73 

Summons to Action 76 

Saphir's Story 77 

The beautiful Firm 80 

E. and F.'s Piety and the Consequences 82 

A Story 83 

The Hearts op Men 84 

The Spirit of a Sickly Boy 86 

Look Ahead 87 

About Rabbies, to whom this Title does not belong. 88 

The Mexican Garden Fence 92 

Where is our American Minhag ? 93 

Advice 98 

Discrimination in Fasting and Charity 105 

Opinion of Keporath 107 

The Blowing of the Cornet on New Year's Day ...109 
Our Duties in a Condensed State Ill 



PREFACE. 

Imagine, if you please, that you are walking about in 
that beautifully arranged cemetery where the remains of 
the great Mendelssohn are sepulchered, and reading the 
various inscriptions on the tombstones dedicated to those 
who sleep in the ashes of Hebron. While thus leisurely 
moving along — for who would like to disturb the peace of 
the dead and the silence of the grave ? — your attention 
will be attracted to a very short inscription, reading thus : 
" Here lies Mendelssohn," while the monuments of others 
carved and ornamented with extended epitaphs. — Conclude 
not hastily. — This work before you is not the production 
of a Mendelssohn, nor is it my intention to draw the slight- 
est parallel between this great man and myself, although 
I wish I COULD. 

The tendency of this work being the establishment of 
truth — it was at first my intention to introduce it without 
any preface whatsoever, as truth must speak for itself; but 
a book without a preface resembles an edifice without a 
cap-stone — so says the present age — and as I am ever ready 
to comply with the demands of the times, I will proceed 
to set forth my reasons for writing the following work. 

Reader ! I am by birth and education a Polander. The 
place of my nativity is situated in that obscure part of 
Poland, where the Czar of Russia has placed his throne 
and stretched forth his arbitrary and despotic will across 
into the once independent kingdom of Poland. 

My parents sent me to a Talmud-School, where I re- 
mained until I attained the age of manhood and obtained 
a Talmudical education. 2pV* b*iy\ DHIl 0*0*3 TV1 
And "I (Jacob) felt myself great in those days;" I felt 

(5) 



PREFACE 



proud ; I knew Talmud ; I was called a "Talmud-Chacham" 
by all my former acquaintances. I deemed myself pious and 
prayed much. Others, less favored by circumstances, 
were little or nothing thought of. I never thought it pos- 
sible that a man could be religious without knowing Tal- 
mud — until I arrived through some strange impulse at the 
self-conviction, that I was not what I ought to be in regard 
to righteousness, in spite of Talmud, in spite of learning. 

na n^n^i moa >rnDKi E>*xi zswi *m 
riipri -wi* vsS yvfo nm Sran ntf-ion And 

after some time saj^s I to myself : M Get off! inquire into the 
cause why that pride could not consume that thorn i sin,' in 
my conscience." — I searched, and found it a wrong course 
altogether that I had pursued, and there were leagues of 
Jehudim in the same path of error. Veni — vidi — vici : I 
came, saw, and was convinced. — Would they not kill me, 
should I dare to tell them of their abominable deeds hid- 
den under the cloak of Talmud and prayers ? f~Q?3 til 

^iSpD* kVi tqnwS pnrp#in na for i had 

too often faced their iniquities, theft, falsehood, perjury, 
bribery, slander, and all those trivial doings emanating 
from a low, conniving heart, — always readjr, when detected, 
to screen itself behind Talmud and prayer, and to use 
" Minhagim " as an ever suitable Talisman in which to 
shroud -the holy truth. 

No doubt, that a despotic government with its potent 
sceptre gave to the virgin "truth" the intended death- 
blow by ravishing the rights of the people, and doing vio- 
lence to nature's most sacred rights : u 31an is born free, 
and his conscience is his own." Israel, thou must not 
dig a grave in the cliff of prejudice and use iniquity as the 
winding sheet, provide the ready pall-bearers and strike 
up the funeral song of truth, and erect a tombstone called 
"Minhagim and Dinim." — I felt like affronting this de- 
generated Israel of my vicinity. — Was I strong enough to 



PEEP AC E. 7 

stand the tempest, to drive off the hornets surrounding me? 
I was too closely watched and surrounded by Ephraim's de- 
ceit — I tore myself away after giving to truth — apparently 
dead — my holy promise, to raise her from the grave again 
— where she was forced to stay — with all the might of my 
voice ! — I had pledged my word ! — I came to dwell upon 
the soil of America, the land of the glorious " Washing- 
ton," who had a home prepared for the oppressed, and a 
land for the free I I roamed about — traversed the whole 
country — visited and lived in Mexico, made the Arizona 
Territory my home for three years, where the Indian in 
his primitive state wields his terrible tomahawk and makes 
the forest resound with his awful yell. — I was taken sick 
in Arizona Territory, and was, with assistance of the white 
men, my friends, conveyed to San Erancisco, Cal., where 
I was placed in a hospital, under the special attendance 
of the prominent physician Dr. J. Regensburger, through 
the management of the President of the Board of Directors 
of the Eureka Benevolent Society. — Thus I was taken care 
of for three years, for my sickness was of a very stubborn 
character. — Charity, the issue of a religious heart, was 
really surrounding me. Every sufferer stricken by disease 
and perchance thrown into the hands of this Society may 
well call out with joy, "Eureka!" (I have found it!) As 
for 'myself, as long as I am not deprived of the power of 
speaking, and my heart ceases not to feel, I shall not cease 
to behold in Dr. Regensburger and the other officers of this 
institution my real benefactors, my tried friends ! Yes, 
friends ! wherever I may be, and as long as I shall live, I 
shall most thankfully remember the never-ceasing kind- 
ness, the tender visits and the inventive skill you so gen- 
erously bestowed on me — the poor and ailing stranger. — • 
I remained at the hospital for three long years. 

Has God decided, thought I, for me to redeem my sacred 

pledge ? — I think, he did so. I set about my task, and the 

1* 



8 PREFACE. 

following little work is the result of my stay at the hos- 
pital. — Finally deeming myself incurable, I was advised 
to go to Berlin and seek there for medical assistance. On 
my way Bast, I came here and happened to meet with 
Dr. M. Brinkman, a physician renowned for integrity, 
skill, and success. — He became my friend and, next to 
God, the healer of my flesh. To his indefatigable efforts to 
cure me, I shall forever bear the most heartfelt gratitude. 
Kind Reader, before I call your attention to the work 
before you, I desire you to be assured that I do not intend 
anything personal in my expressions whatsoever. — The 
language is very plain, in order that everybody may un- 
derstand it. As the man of belles-letters, etc., must com- 
prehend a common-parlance, I give also the illiterate and 
those who are not accustomed to technical and scientific 
expressions the same opportunity to read, to understand, 
and to refer with me to the passages of the holy Scripture, 
on the true meaning of which I have based my opinions. 
I give to my readers the sentences I refer to in both Eng- 
lish and Hebrew, so that everyone may have a ready 
weapon, by the use of which they can defend their case 
against those who, like swine rooting in the ground to 
find dung, nDin t3*¥MTl IVM pi T?nn will very 
naturally search this work to find something whereby they 
may censure and condemn the author and his opinions. 
I no longer care for the bitterness of those who denounce 
my character or my adherence to Judaism, and say, offer- 
ing to all a brother's band, with king David: niDtP J"Q™1 

oVw ww ro wbi r6 UI nave dwelt to ° lon g 

a time with those who hate peace;" CDI^t^ *i& " so lon g 
as I thought, all was peace, was I satisfied!" ^Htt >3T 
"Still I am speaking now"— pOnSo 4 ? HCH and the Y 
may raise the war-cry against me, for I vouchsafed my 
word; my pledge I will redeem. 

JACOB GOLDMAK 



INTEODUCTION 



We are all striving with more or less energy to obtain 
the so called comforts of life, which are procurable with, 
and whose value is based upon that which has become the 
paramount necessity of the commercial world, and Yvmich 
is acknowledged to'be the absolute standard of value and 
the general medium of trade and traffic. This standard 
is known under the name of money, which, being made 
the * regulator of prices, becomes therefore the sole repre- 
sentation of value. These, as we all know, are the only 
uses and applications of money, and were it not indispen- 
sably necessary for these purposes, it would soon fall into 
disuse, or rather, would never have had an existence at 
all. 

The proper appreciation of the ordinary comforts of 
life is dependent on the "knowing" how to make the true 
use of them. — But there are other comforts of life, not 
obtainable with money, that are beckoning us most 
beseechingly to take hold of them. One of these is tran- 
quility of conscience, that" emblematic pillow on which the 
soul reposes so peacefully. Transgression and sin operate 
most destructively upon the so much to be desired tran- 
quility. Yes ! so much so as to set us aghast and cause 
us to exclaim with the prophet Ezekiel, c. 33, v. 10. If 
our transgressions and sins be upon us and we pine away 
in them, how should we then live ? 

And I myself while meditating on the wrongs which I 
was guilty of, on the sins which I have committed since 
the days of my youth — and being fully aware of the same 
to call out with the Psalmist, c. 51. 

Ton ni: YTtfcorn rut ♦:« qswj *d 

" as the sins I know of, and the transgressions being 
always before me." 

(9) 



10 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

I was on the verge of despair, for I knew I had sinned 
against the laws of that King, who is throughout eternity 
King of all kings. Yes, I was in reality pining away 
until I came to my recollection, that the eternal spake 
through his prophet Ezekiel, c. 17. 

"As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in 
the death of the wicked, but that he turns from his evil 
way and live." 

% z yunn rnon vtonK dk v6k n aw >:w >n 
Vi rvrn un» wrt nwn dk 

See God is merciful and forgiving provided we return 
to him, leave off sin and transgression. But we must be 
able to place our sin and transgression before us, we must 
be aware of them, we must know them ; otherwise we shall 
never be morally clear-sighted enough to discriminate ac- 
curately between right and wrong, or to draw the line of 
demarkation between that which is sin, and which is not 
sin. When we are able to make this distinction, as a 
matter of course, we shall find it no difficult matter to 
avoid transgression; while unable to do so we cannot 
fulfil the duty of self-preservation. In regard to this, the 
teachings of our sages are as follows : 

" One who sins, prays and confesses must be well aware 
not to be like one who takes a bath in order to clean 
himself, yet holding in his hand an uncleanliness, a 
carrion; all the waters cannot clean such person, until 
he throws away the unclean piece — and only then will the 
bathing have its right effect." 

A2 San wm rrnnoi rrvny via kw aiw 
! VP^ vrn trains *fch ?non «in hdS 
nrfoy kS .abviitp rno>o Son by\v iS'sk 
r6as iS nnSy >rra nw nh>2® ift 

The principal things necessary for us are firstly, to feel 
that we have sinned, and to know the instant of our sin 
or the occasion of our transgression ; secondly, to have 
an hour for repentance, a moment when the stings of re- 
morse are keen enough to lead us to seek forgiveness, and 
make us strive to wash the stain from our soul, that we 
may become pure. We in general think " the day of 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 11 

atonement "H^H DV ^ s the accepted time.' , But what 
do we do? We are to pray for forgiveness, and we 
assemble in the Synagogue for that purpose ; but do we 
in reality pray for forgiveness ? — Hardly ! 

Certain of death, we pray for long life ; — not liking the 
inconvenience of poverty, we pray for wealth. And we 
pray far more earnestly for these and kindred blessings 
than for the forgiveness of our sins. Reader I these things 
compel me with king David to exclaim: 

pvi >by Soy ns* rmn xdd -pnnrt 

" How dare we connect ourselves with God, while his 
seat is rendered by our sins ! " to pray for him for our 
support: Also let us review here the passage of Scrip- 
ture. 

pSoyn »b nsnbo rr dd by t o 

Here is the throne of God (013) which ought to read 
ttDD on ty P ut down in part (but in 2 instead of 3 letters) ; 
also " j-p " is only a part of the name nliT (Jchova) : 
Because Amaleck, the emblem of passion and sin, is pre- 
vailing ; to which the different commentaries say all in a 
joint : The name of God is abbreviated and his government 
abridged whenever " passion," the source of trespass, is 
prevailing." If we therefore desire to keep up and to 
support God's name, we must become masters of all pas- 
sions and subdue them, for they are the seed of sin and 
lead us into errors of the gravest kind. But we often fail 
in making the proper distinction in regard to the qualities 
of crime. 

§Mtttdl ffrattg §m%in8, 

but in !§arilv j§ver (j^hdllmgett. 

There are different degrees of crime. Hogmeat is for- 
bidden. Eating such meat naturally fills us with a certain 
disgust for it (owing to its natural effect upon the system,) 
and is therefore unwholesome to our bodily constitution. 
It is law, concerning every one individually, a sani- 
tary law, and it is only once forbidden in the holy 
Scripture, whereas those actions, committed by us gen- 
erally with intent to defraud and to injure materially our 
fellow-men, being considered of less weight and impor- 



12 THE VOICE OP TRUTH; OR 

tance ; for they enrich us while they make others poor ; 
they satisfy our desire of obtaining means rightfully be- 
longing to others'; we abridge the rights of our neighbor, 
deprive him of property in a dishonest manner, abducting 
from him part of that which he has paid for,— and all this 
is to be done by the mere using of false scales and wrong 
measures. This hardly appears to many of us to be a 
sin : our grandfathers and fathers have used already the 
same measures to enrich themselves at the expense of an 
unsuspecting community. Yes ! while being a wrong intro- 
duced by our predecessors, it may be continued by us ; it is 
hereditary evil-doing and cannot be so bad and detesta- 
ble as eating "hog meat:" Such is the language of the 
most shameless guilt, so speaks the heart of the most per- 
fidious transgressor; whereas the Scripture has raised 
its thundering voice against such deeds again and again. 
There are other actions, that are apt to be deemed of less 
importance, but which are of the greatest gravity and are 
strictly and repeatedly forbidden like the foregoing cases, 
p. e. "Deceit," intentional misrepresentation, slander; 
such are powerful enough to injure our fellow-men directly, 
to hurt them pecuniarily, to undermine the happiness of an 
innocent family. We too often indulge in such vices, for 
they have become habitual with us. Behold the inconsis- 
tency of the human heart ! We admit that certain actions 
are criminal and yet we at the same time are guilty of 
them : We hold stealing to be a detestable crime, meriting 
and receiving the abhorrence of every honest heart. Now, 
let us, for example, examine and judge the deed of Mr. 
A., a New York merchant, who would indignantly repel 
the insinuation that he had ever beer* guilty of stealing; 
yet to gratify some private malice, he speaks to the disad- 
vantage of Mr. B., a merchant of San Erancisco dealing 
in New York; he seeks to impugn his integrity and do him 
all the business injury he can. Mr. B. finds his credit in- 
jured, his orders for goods unfilled, and his creditors ur- 
gent and pushing him for a settlement ; for the confidence, 
(the supporter and pivot of all business transactions) 
which was once reposed in him, is ruined forever. The 
consequence is, that Mr. B. is driven into bankruptcy by 
the impatience of his creditors. He is declared insolvent. 
Shame and poverty spread their gloomy pail over a ruined 



THE COMFORTS OP LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 13 

and destitute family. . . . Mr. A. is not guilty of stealing, 
but with his tongue he has caused the ruin of an innocent 
family. He has not stolen ; but he has taken away from 
B. the means of providing for the support of himself and 
a helpless, dependent wife and children. Mr. A. has 
nothing in his possession that the laws of the country for- 
bid him to have, but he has a heart base enough to plunge 
an entire family into wretchedness. He is not on the 
official list of thieves and burglars, and he still sails under 
the bright colors of rectitude and honesty. But be it 
remembered that the Holy Scriptures are earnest and con- 
stant in their condemnation of such wickedness. 

The Psalmist speaks in Ps. 41, v. T. 

"And if he (such Mr. A.) comes to see me, he speaks 
vanity (not having stolen); his heart gathers iniquity, when 
he goes abroad he tells it : 

Reader, behold the Scriptural parallel of sins and trans- 
gression, and judge Mr. A.'s honesty in the following: 

"If you see a thief you will keep up with him, you 
share with harlots, your mouth is ready for evil, deceit 
cleaves upon your tongue, you insist upon it to talk against 
your brother." 

V;n ct«tia C3n» toy nm 333 n v tn dk 
r\Dio Tovn yfoh Sjn> njra nrhw spa 

Do we perceive in this the fac-simile of Mr. A.? 
Again will you find in Pro v. 6. 

injrv o >i&D3 k^dS y\w o mb ifli' nVi 
i\m uvn \\r\ bi dn DTwnt? ahw- wan 

"Do not despise a thief for stealing, when he is hungry; 
for if he is found out, he must seven-fold repay with all 
the substance of his house." 

That thief steals to appease his hunger, and endangers 
himself by the laws of men, but the slanderer hazards 
nothing ; neither his property nor his personal security, and 



14 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

while the laws of men give no redress, he neither fears 
nor respects the laws of God. 

God's judgment will reach him surely 
For acting basely, meanly poorly. 

And our great teacher Moses has spoken in Lev., c. 20 : 
" That if people hide their eyes, that they may not see and 
do not punish a criminal, (that sows the seed of evil,) 
then will I (God) set my face against that man and pun- 
ish him." 

To guard the words and to curb the tongue is therefore 
one of the principal duties of all men throughout all times. 
We ought to take it for a common rule by which we should 
govern ourselves, that: 

"In the multitude of words sin is never wanting." See 
Prov. 10, v. 19. 

wz Tin* xb onm nm 

To sin is "folly," and easily discernible when we are 
using too many words. 

Reader do not gaze at me in surprise, nor be astonished 
when I say, that even by the customary recitation of vol- 
umes of the so called " Morning Prayer," we are liable 
to be guilty of neglecting something "superior" while 
attending to the " inferior," that we are casting off a golden 
ring while picking up a " pin." Prayer itself is power- 
ful, it keeps shut the gates of perdition and opens the 
doors of heaven, but many words do not form a prayer. 
Multitudes of words remove not the iniquities of our 
hearts, and effective prayer, as it ought to be, dare not 
have iniquity associated with it. Iniquities are sins, and 
sin is folly. Read chap. 1 of Jesaias, in relation to the 
usual "Prayer meeting," when he spake: 

" The new moon and Sabbath, calling of assemblies — 
I cannot bear their solemn meetings and iniquities." 

ifrwi tw Saw xb KnpD H^p r\2m tnn 

We also find: " And although you increase 'praying' 
I cannot listen to it." 

iynw wto nSan nmn o d:i 

" Better wash and cleanse yourself (from sin) and aban- 
don the path of your bad deeds." 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 15 

Yes, to stay away from sin and "to know" there is a 
"God," is positively better than much "praying." The 
divine word itself teaches us, Deut. c. 10, v. 12, also: 
" What does the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear 
the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways and to love him." 

rvH n*rv^ tra o yovo bmv *\*fftti n no 

There is no allusion made to much prayer, but to 
fear him, and to act in accordance with his command- 
ments. And we read again c. 25, v. 12: 
"What man is he that feareth the Lord." 
"Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose." 

inn* itq tip n kt &ht\ nr to 

We therefore cannot imagine the tiresome words of our 
lips to be " serving God " or the "walking before him." 
In order to come to the point in question, we shall refer 
to the opinion of our sages, viz.: 

Kan zsbvb nyp ppm 

"These are the deeds, tne fruits of which we may rejoice 
of in this world, but their principal gain is in the world to 
come;" amongst which number of deeds they include 
n7Bn Witi the thoughtfulness of prayer, or "the pra}^er 
well considered," and in order to simplify this, they say 
again: "Man! try first whether your heart feels to pray 
— and if not — do not pray ! " 

bbzrv A'sb na vdS bw o& *my oi$ mo 1 

^barv bx wb pki 

An habitual prayer, will therefore soon lose all its merits, 
and seem an obligatory action on our part, amounting to 
nothing more than merely " thanking God for our preser- 
vation," etc., etc.; in support of this speaks Rabbi Elieser: 

And when you pray, know you to and before whom you 

The prophet Amos says likewise in c. 4 : 
"Prepare yourself, Israel, to call upon God." 



Xjg THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OB 

thmw tyfifex nxipb pn 

So speaks the prophet, Jesaias, c. 55 : 

" Seek you the Lord, while he may be found." 

Seek for him first, comprehend him well, and he may be 

found ; call upon him while near to him, that is to say, 

while near and being ready to do his will. 

nnp invm im*np mwo ft item 

To be near to God, demands " Righteousness" on our 
part ; should this not exist, repent and amend both. But 
whereas the sins are so manifold, it may well be conceived 
that the distance to God is a considerable one, for the holy 
Scripture says : 

" Your sins have parted me from you." 

aybvn frran DD'nw 

In the following, says Job, c. 2t : 

What are the hopes of the flatterers, (sinners,) when they 
ask the Lord for maintenance of life. Would God listen to 
such an exclamation ? 

And the Psalmist speaks in order to remedy such prayer 
of self-interest, in c. 119 : 

• " I have been thinking about my ways, and turned my 
feet into thy testimony." 

Tim? bx 'Sn rtvwfci on >mtrn 

Which interpreted is : "I was carefully searching my 
ways, found them sinful, and returned to thy laws." 

Again, says the Psalmist. 

" The godly will pray to thee, when thou mayest be 
found." 

K¥s nyS ,-pSa TDnSD SSsrv n«t bv 

These words ought to resound in our ears, for we do 
not seek God ; we neglect him, and consider it laughable 
to act otherwise. For it requires a certain study to find 
God, it requires a thorough acquaintance with the means 
given to us to find him. 

j^he l§olg Scripture and ^ztnre. 

We meet here another obstacle ; for knowing the Scrip- 
ture and studying the same has been taken in the general 
comprehension as the " learning of the Talmud." This ac- 



THE COMFORTS OP LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 17 

quisition may make us sagacious, but never godly and free 
from sin. And in our searches and researches into nature 
itself, to which the Natural History may serve us as a 
guide, let us be particularly cautious not to fall into error, 
by taking the creature for the creator, or the model for 
the modeller. There are many philosophers and men of 
science who have lost themselves in this erroneous pathwa}^ 
A certain wise man was once asked, what was his opinion 
on the then modern philosophy, upon which he plainly 
replied : The philosophers think the creature superior to 
the creator, yet they are in error ! erring ! deluded and 
mistaken ! — Wisdom and learning must never miss the 
aim in view: .." to learn God" and better to understand 
his mysterious wa} 7 s. 

King David is of the opinion, that it does not take a 
man of superior intellect or deep learning, nay, no phi- 
losopher at all to study and comprehend God, for he says 
on the existence of God, in c. 8 of the Psalms : 

" The child's mouth establishes His (God's) stronghold." 
" The pure heart and simple mind of a child repels the 
ideas of Thy (God's) enemies." 

DpiTMDl 

Then to look upon thy heaven "J*t5fi? nft")& y D an( i 
upon all that is on earth, evinces sumciently the existence 
of a God. 

Yes ! Nature is a grand book, each leaf of which 
breathes I have a creator, each page of which shows in 
elaborate prints " A perfection," or the name " God." 

1. A traveller while traversing a large desert, discovers 
in its midst a fine modern edifice. He enters, and there 
he finds all the comforts and luxuries that the wealth of the 
fashionable can procure. He beholds a table loaded with 
rich and delicate viands, tempting to the appetite of a 
hungry man. But no person is to be seen. What a 
skilful architect ! what an able owner ! what an experi- 
enced manager ! he exclaims : Yes ! reality speaks for 
itself. Here prevails no magic! It is reality and not a 
delusion. This structure and its internal arrangements 
make me behold the sagacity of the artist, the ability of 
the owner, and the skill of the steward. 



18 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

2. By the sight of a well written " poem," yet not with- 
out plenty of inkspots, can we believe that the "ink" 
fell upon the paper of itself? Any man who would 
assert a thing so absurd, would be considered an idiot or 
liar. The naturalist would recommend the author of such 
a tale to a lunatic's asylum, although he himself builds his 
hypothesis on foundation quite as weak and insufficient, 
and calls the offspring of his labors by the name of phi- 
losophy. Nature with its established law, forms a volumi- 
nous directory, upon every page of which the " great 
Architect of the universe," He who is King of all kings 
and wiser than Solomon, can be seen. In connection with 
the holy Scripture nature affords us an ample chance of 
learning to " know God." This is the principal demand ; 
and to serve him a subsequent issue. 

Our sages have said : 

" Any one, who daily says a little tract of the holy songs, 
may rest assured of becoming an heir of the world to 
come." 

^ on rmiD dv b:n rrvp p^D nown hi 

We will give here the sceptic with his ready doubts, an 
opportunity of saying : " what an easy task it must be to 
come to heaven," for saying such tract takes about five 
minutes from our daily time. 

The prophet Jesais said in c. 5 : 

" Raise heavenwards your eyes, and behold who has all 
this created !" 

■?n*?N hi tnn »d ism tDyvy chd wip 

And we find in King I. c. 4, that Solomon spoke on the 
trees, on the cedar of Lebanon and on the Ysop, (in- 
significant frail-growing plant,) by the wall. 

\iy\ pJDVn ~\m v\m jd own bv -urn 
•vpn nvv t^k mtsn 

The sturdy tree and the small plant were the subject of 
his lecture; for both alike bear the admiration of the great 
Creator; either one furnishes substance enough for a study 
of the principal qualities of the u great spiritual God." 
The sarcastic sceptic may therefore stop to set forth his 
scruples; for a single tract p-\Q of the holy songs may 



THE COMEORTS OP LIEE AND THEIR REVERSES. 19 

be one of the master-pieces of some ancient and renowned 
poet: the result of his researches while exploring the fields 
of nature's wisdom ; of his unbounded wanderings up to 
the heights, from thence down into the depths of the 
secrets of the earth, and we the attentive readers of such 
a piece may become so enraptured as to be led on to the 
better understanding of " Him" who spoke and all ex- 
isted; it may cause us to become the confidants of " Him" 
in whose hands rest the gift of the "world to come I" For 
it may produce the elevation of ourselves and increase 
our esteem of the world in which we live, and finally pro- 
cure our salvation ; more likely so than praying much 
without the necessary heart-felt veneration for " Him" who 
is no other than " God." 

And this habit of praying without being sincere has 
been such a customary and habitual one, that we should 
rightfully exclaim with the prophet Jesaias, c. 29. 

" His fear is only an habitual one." 

Be therefore no "prayer" an instinctive or habitual 
one. It must appear loathsome to all thinking men daily 
to witness, that so many of us say : " Hear Israel, the 

eternal our God is the eternal, "a Unit," j-j ^ft"^* J7DIP 
in>* H ^yrt/ft s0 altogether by mere habit, by the most 
positive intimation ; u for they as infants have heard their 
parents say so with a peculiar expression of the word. 
"echad," but they never were taught to be thoughtful 
while saying this. The mind stays untouched wherever 
the animation of the heart is wanting. We — who have 
the eyes of understanding, by intellect, nature, and the 
holy Scripture, enlivened — err by habitually praying, while 
praying because our parents used to do the same ; yes ! 
we sin by basing our prajdng on such reasoning ; we re- 
semble the blind man, who solely follows his guide to 
crossing a dangerous bridge j for thus going " onward " 
while being " led " has nothing glorious in it. 

The prophet Jeremiah says, in c. 9 : 

" Let him that glories glory in this : that he under- 
stands and knows me!" 



20 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

•'♦ma ywi byxn bbnmn bSn/v nan D.^ *d 

Mental blindness, no understanding, and therefore to 
prefer being " led " and to follow, find no sufficient 
excuse ; and this is substantiated by the prophet Jesaias, 
c. 12, as it reads there : 

" Ye that are deaf, hearken ! And yt blind ones, look 
up!" 

roan 1 ? voon oniym wot? owvin 

Look up and see the fallacy of your imaginary serving 
of God by habitual prayers ! Arouse your mental capaci- 
ties into action, to gain comprehension. A gain is certain, 
if only a gradual one. 

Overrating ourselves and our comprehension is likewise 
injurious, and renders a "prayer" false and insincere. 
To feign a " feeling heart " while praying is mockery, 
hypocrisy, both foolish, and easy to discern. The heart 
and brain are the main channels of life and the main 
organs of a true prayer We pray often, viz. : 

>bh\>rfm ncmnniD towsms ^wb nv^ m^« 
rrnn bsh ii&ys wejji onn ^d: 

" O my God, be pleased to guard my tongue from evil, 
and my lips from uttering deceit, and be thou silent O 
my soul, to those who curse me; and grant that my soul 
may be humble as the dust, to every one." 

And again we pray : 

tas*> »3;*> pum *b no« \vi*\h rrnn 

" May the words of my mouth and the meditations of 
my heart be acceptable to thee." 

We are beseeching God in the foregoing to accept of 
the words of our lips and the thoughts of our hearts. 
Should it therefore happen that we are only speaking 
without our hearts being moved, such a prayer would be 
nothing but blasphemy, would be worse than sacrilege; for 
we should invite the Lord to take a shallow form of words 
proceeding from a heart devoid of high and holy thoughts, 
destitute of sanctification, and consider this as genuine 
adoration, earnest enough to endear to him the words of 
our lips ! 

Such are the masses of words in general which the 
prayer books prescribe, and which we have become 



THE COMPORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 21 

habituated to read every day and call it "praying!" — 
We perform this as an obligatory task, to be daily re- 
peated ! — We stand up before God and accuse ourselves 
of being guilty of various trespasses, without ever feeling 
like quitting and forsaking these iniquities. It is a sad 
fact : . we believe that we pray, yet we only seek to delude 
our Heavenly Father by many words, by a criminal speed 
of tongue, by a speed of speech running like a wagon 
swiftly down a steep hill, without any guide or stop-chain. 
Again be it known, that no multitude of words or haste 
in speaking them, can be called a " true prayer; " and the 
Psalmist confirms us in this our assertion. 
Read the 7 2d Psalm and find: 

V2V pro 

" They flatter him with their mouth ; they belie him 
with their tongue; because their heart is not readily 
with him." 

Any prayer not having God at heart, is flattery and 
deceit. To comprehend the aforesaid fully, is again on the 
part of those who endeavor to serve God in the full mean- 
ing of the word, because king David said, being of the 
same opinion, in his 3 2d Psalm : 

" Happy is that man who knows that he is of sin : for 
not having God in his thoughts." 

* py ib - n mm 'vh m er$ nw$ 

§jnmanid %&w mtd the %in$t of ^dohtrg. 

Our actions in regard to the routine of ceremonial 
duties must be perfectly understood, and our prayers must 
be made with our whole heart. 

Our ceremonial law or " Zizith" is — we are sorry to 
be obliged to say so — an abused practice and bears the 
taint of Idolatry, for there are many, who think it dan- 
gerous leaving the dwelling houses without having those 
" Zizith" strings on the four corners of a garment made 
for the purpose ; others again are of the opinion, that the 
kissing of the Zizith was a divine command to us ; as if 
God had not spoken : ' 

"And they shall serve as strings to be looked at, in 



22 THE VOICE 01? TRUTH ; OR 

order to remember God and his commandments, and to 
act accordingly." 

nx Dmnn )m &n^m m^S boh vm 
: ibma on*vm n nvm Sd 

And leaning on this gives the eminent " S. L. H." (pft\p) 
the following illustration : 

A peasant, about to visit a city, was requested by his 
wife to purchase various articles. Being very much at- 
tached to his wife, he wishes to be sure of not forgetting 
to execute all her little wishes and desires ; but he cannot 
trust his recollection: he is naturally forgetful. He adopts 
a plan by which he will be certain to remember to comply 
with all her trivial requests: "he ties knots" in his hand- 
kerchief, (for, like many others, he was no man of writing) 
corresponding in number to the articles he was to buy ! 
He comes to the city ; looks at the knots and remembers 
all the articles. Meditating a little, he exclaims : 

" Shall I have enough money to buy all these ?" 

Another illustration : 

A prominent physician hands to one of his patients, — 
who suffers the most intense pain from a fractured limb — • 
a powerful salve, calculated to cure him in a short time. 
Considering the pains too distracting, our patient am- 
putates the injured limb and throws it aside; however, he 
takes care of the salve. A pity for our maimed man ! 
Salve has lost its healing aim ! Many of us resemble such 
a suffering man, because they deem " Zizith" the mirac- 
ulous healing salve, yet throw away the main laws ! 

And in regard to actions thus irrational, speaks the 
prophet Jesaias, in c. 29 : 

" They honor me with lips and mouth, still their heart 
is far off from me." 

♦jdd pm p¥i ^raD> vp«3#m vm 

We are also commanded "wearing Tefillin," but not 
obliged to kiss this outward emblem of our inward reli- ! 
gious integrity ; not to treat it as a beloved idol of our 
heart; for the divine law says : 

" They shall be as a sign upon thy hand and mem- 
ory between thy eyes, so the Laws of God's teachings be 
with you." 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES 23 

7DD n nnn n\-»n 

We bring the Tefillin upon our left arm, opposite the 
heart ; between the eyes, before our forehead where lies 
the main seat of the strength of the u mind," and in re- 
ferring to this said our sages : 

"The heart and the eyes are two agents of sin! "the 
eyes see and the heart desireth. 

riK^m nono nn xi % r\ fro 1 ? 

The Proverb 23 reads likewise : 

" My son render thy heart unto me, and thy eyes will 
guard my wavs." 

rartfin on yw\ )l > "pS >in run 

And in connection with the foregoing, our Talmudist 

^T DP! speaks: 

" Thou art mine for certain, so thou shalt give thy heart 
and eye to me." 

#h n*n jrr *m nriri in 1 ? ^ nn-v dk 

And this is positively the way for us to adopt; 
" so we do not go astray by our own heart and by our 
own eyes." 

tsmv nn*n Eoaaii nna mnn torn 

We may readily consider " Zizith and Tefillin" the 
auxiliary means to the better remembering of God and his 
commandments, the key to the valuable treasure. Mis- 
take not in deeming the key to be the treasure itself; " the 
Zizith and Tefillin", for the true knowledge of God, the 
ceremony, for true religion. 

Acquaintance with God and his word is religiously re- 
quired, because it enables us the better to comply with his 
real wishes ; whereas a mere presumptuous knowledge of 
Him causes us to sin often against our own intention. 
Our mind ought to be always collected ; our heart in the 
mood of real concession, in order that a true understanding 
may direct our service to God and cause us to abide by 
his law without taking refuge in faith, and faith again. 
Refer to Deut. c. 4, where it is written : 

"And comprehend to-day and take it to heart that the 
Eternal is the Lord!" 

iO»rf?tfn Kin n o "piS bx nn^ni nvn runn 

2 



24 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

As regards the true Religion has king David advised 
his son Solomon, in Chronicles L, 28. 

" My son Solomon, firstly learn to know the God of thy 
father, and afterwards serve ' Him' with a whole heart." 

David spake not to Solomon : serve the Lord as thou 
hast seen me, thy father, serving him; do as I have done in 
the exercise of religious functions; but learn to know God, 
which needs thy own study, thy own observations upon 
the result of which thy serving " God" depends; to all of 
which the adaptability of thy heart is indispensable. 

And in strict accordance, this said our Talmudist : 

*WW oh rvmb yo^ noip no 1 ? 
nVnn ovp muSo hw vbv b2\P& hd 

" The holy Scripture recommends firstly, the compre- 
hension of the existence of God, (the J/££^ Shemang- 
Chapter containing the same,) and secondly, the diligent 
practice of his will," (the contents of pi'iT) Vehojah- 
Chapter.) 

Consider the first to be the cause of the latter; or to 
know God perfectly causes us to act religiously. 

Do we know God ? do we regard Him as the Most 
" High ?" Are we fully convinced that God is the most 
Superior? Are we always ready to depend on Him? 
When these questions, which we put to ourselves, can be 
readily answered by a sincerely meant " Yes !" we will be 
less liable to sin and more skilled in warding off the multi- 
tude of temptations. The prophet Jesaias, being at this 
time well aware of the existing defects in regard to the 
perfection of men's minds and hearts, says in c. 1 : 

" The ox knows his owner, the ass his master's crib; but 
Israel does not know me, my nation does not consider 
me to be the Keeper of Israel and their Lord." 

*6 %tti$ >vSyn dux Torn roip -np yp 
pnnn vh w ,h w 

" And to serve me dutifully is, therefore, impossible to 
them." 



THE COMFORTS OF LTFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 25 



§cat mid §rcicntld ffnowkcfge of §od. 

Reader ! we finally feel ourselves forced in order to do 
right, to draw a close line of demarcation between pre- 
tended and real knowledge of God and acting according 
to his will. 

The work n3l0pH T HDD (Syphry Jod Haketonah) 
takes the prophets verse. 

*n *?x rintMi rri^rui upni rwarti 

" We will examine and investigate our ways well, so that 
we may return to God' ' — and explains this as follows : 

We are apt in saying: "I understand and comprehend 
God, He being always before me!" Heaven and Earth and 
all their contents cause me to consider him and to serve 
" Him." Yes ! so we say ! but is not our question open 
to doubt ? " We say we see God* while we are praying," 
but to be candid: we only see ourselves ! We are praying 
for a direct or indirect accumulation of earthly treasures, 
of luxuries and all the appurtenances thereof, as good 
victuals, sensual pleasures and comforts for ourselves and 
families, magnificient houses, etc. The desire to obtain all 
these things animates us to pray and to shun punishable 
deeds. We are solely intent upon serving ourselves, while 
we cherish the "idea" of having served the Lord. 
Neither the rich, nor the poor, are exempt from such gross 
errors ! Poverty seeks wealth ; wealth is contriving and 
working for the increase of its treasurers ; both, while 
praying, having a certain object in view, but not God 
alone. " We also lay Tefillin," etc., so says the aforemen- 
tioned work, for we have seen done so before us. 

Only habit causes practice in this case, this is an unde- 
niable fact ; were it not so it would afford us more pleasure 
to serve God; it would render us more joyful to adore his 
greatness and might, and fill our hearts with gratitude and 
praise to him. 

But as long as we are making " praj^ers" and the like 
the stepstone to wordly benefits, the means of obtaining 
fortune, honor and position, and all the comforts of life — 
we must be unable to evince real submission and humility ; 
nay, we endeavor to make God subservient to our wishes 



26 THE VOICE OP T^UTH; OP. 

and desires. Any prayer prompted by self-interest is a 
folly and no real devotion to God. — Could our heart at- 
tain such a pure and elevated position as to be stifled by 
no self-interest whatsoever ; as to become buoyed up, that 
our lips would acknowledge the Greatness of God for his 
Greatness' sake alone — to praise and to thank him 
because his kindness endureth forever, we should feel an 

abstract devotion, a real desire to serve God Laugh not 

therefore at the use of " Zizith " and " Tefillin" entirely; for 
our minds might be soaring high, the soul of man might 
become enraptured, the heart might be charmed to dwell 
with God and embrace his holy commandments anew, and 
in such a truly and earnest manner as to clothe, meantime, 
the body with " Zizith" and " Tefillin."— But how often 
though is this the case ? Do we not put on " Zizith" and 
u Tefillin" in order to proclaim ourselves to be pious Jews, 
or because we are taught to do so before getting our 
breakfast, or before we commence our daily business-opera- 
tions ? And in this last case we have surely lost, as regards 
" serving God," the point of gravity. 



Jp the ggmgogue mtd d *§on\t. 

Enjoying a "Mizwah" (a commendable deed, while 
being commendable and good) in order to show to God, 
that we are his obedient children, impatient of waiting for 
the opportunity and time to fulfil the commands of our 
Heavenly Father, could be called " Piet}^." Such being the 
case ; we would welcome such an approaching moment to 
embrace our heavenly friend; our words would be plain, 
our speech fluent, our looks radiant, our attitude becom- 
ing ; yes ! we would give the godly friend his godly dues, 
regardless of time and loss. It ought to be so, but the 
stern reality stands before us in a quite objective form ; 
we are, on the contrary, perverse subjects. The time of 
prayer approaches too fast and passes by with leaden foot- 
steps. As far as the speech of welcome is concerned, the 
language becomes every day more estranged from our 
lips and hardly spoken any more, it even threatens to fly 
from the wonted tongue and the organs of speech of 
coming generations. As regards our readiness in welcom- 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 21 

ing our godly friend by proper words, we speak none at all 
to evince to him, that he is appreciated in our midst." 
We send our " Delegate," our " Reader," our messenger, 
our hired and well paid servant, to perform the duties of 
the u host." But are we idle in the meantime ? no! we 
keep our minds engaged on questions of traffic and trade, 
exchange our ideas with our neighbor, or read the latest 
"news," or lean back to rest ourselves until the time ar- 
rives, when the " Reader" dismisses the godly friend. 

This tiresome interview being over — how glad and light 
we feel, as if we had thrown off a heavy burden, we 
endeavor to push onward with most unseemly haste from 
the place of assemblage called Synagogue, like a thief, 
who has been throwing away a stolen article, the very ex- 
emplification of guilt, to escape as a fugitive the reach of 
pursuing Justice. This is as much the case of the present 
time, as it has been the case in olden times about which Jere- 
miah spoke, c. 7 : 

" Has this house, which is called by my name, become a 
den of Robbers?" 

i®& «npa -kpk pth n»nn rvn pnriji nnyon 

Again let us take the 29 c. of the 1 Book of Chron. 
into consideration, which reads : 

" God searches all our hearts and understands our 
thoughts." 

"pp rnnpno '-np hj\ n ttntt nmS bz *rr' 

In order to appear before u Him," our hearts ought to be 
kept clean, and our thoughts pure ! — Are they clean and 
pure ? are they in that innocent state, in which they should 
appear before "Him," the King of all kings. If the 
question is to be answered again in the negative, we at 
once have committed ourselves and shown that we are 
men, who do not know or understand God. We know how 
to celebrate the visit of a king, (flesh and blood like our- 
selves,) of a prince of a country or a nation ; we array our- 
selves in our holiday garments to appear before him, for we 
honor men of high position and lofty rank, as we read in 
the Book of Esther, c. 4. " It is not usual to come to the 
gates of a king's palace in sack cloth." 



28 THE VOICE OP TRUTH; OR 

A pure heart is the most commendable and fitting gar- 
ment to wear before that spiritual King, eternal and omni- 
present, by the gates of whose residence we are always 
standing, as Zechariah says in c. 4 : 

" The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the 
whole earth." 

And we likewise read in Pro v. c. 15 : 
" Everywhere are the eyes of God." 

n w Shpb hii 

We are forever under the immediate and direct observa- 
tion of the Eternal, and still it is surprising, that we ignore 
the duty of arraying ourselves in that above-named celes- 
tial garment, " a pure heart" the most substantial habili- 
ment of our immortal soul. 

Mortal ancj| weak as we are in performing our heavenly 
duties, do we look forward for the approach of Rash-Hash- 

anna and Iom-Kippur, (^vy pyi) as the days which 
have been by God ordained, specially to consider our sins 
and to seek for pardon, which can be had by real repent- 
ance and amending. So says the holy Scripture, Lev. 
16. v. 30. 

Sdo feftni* mtDb Qybv -im* ntn cvn o 
nncon n ^*h ^ymvn 

For he will become reconciled to you on this day and 
cleanse you from all your sins, if before God you will 
purify yourselves. 

Having sinned, in other words: having rebelled against 
the laws of God, we are becoming aware of the stern duty 
of removing from our soul the oppressive burden " Sin," 
by praying and changing our previous course, which are 
ready means at our hands. But how do we manage to 
come to the desired point ? 

We readily answer : We go to the Synagogue or Temple ; 
we read there volumes of books, called prayer books; we 
beat, while saying the CD^&n Sy(this memorandum of 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 29 

all sin;) our chest most formidably, imagining this to be 
atonement, a symbol of repenting. 

But, patient reader, the reciting of this record of sins and 
crimes shows us sins — one or other of which we are accused 
of having committed ourselves. Do we pause at the 
Rubric of our crime, when we arrive at its brink, 
and view it sufficiently to repent and amend at the gate of 
the heavenly King ? Do we pause long enough to allow 
our good feeling to offer battle to the disposition to wick- 
edness, to conquer completely those passions which have 
placed us upon the catalogue of criminals ? " Do we take 
time to examine carefully our hearts to find out the foun- 
tains, that have poured forth that blood which is the feeder 
of our sin?" And let us remember that the Prophet Joel 
sa}^s, c. 2: 

" Tear your heart and not your cloth." 

"P?h^ Ski PijdfSl ^p" 

Repent sincerely by leaving off from sin, also the 
Prophet Jesaias speaks in c. 21 : 

" For only by these shall the iniquity of Jacob be 
purged : and this is the fruit : take the sin away." 

ion ns b*D nn npp \v; i^y nan pS 

And Job says in c. 34 : in^tDH 

"If I have done iniquity, I will do no more." 

♦*bia aft whys Viy ds 

And we read in Proverb 28 : 

"He,who confesses and forsakes his sin will, find mercy." 

But to make confession requires the knowledge of our 
sin ; and to forsake sin is true repentance. An effort is 
required to find out our sins ; and taking time for doing 
so is necessary for the obtaining of the wished for result : 
the grace and mercy of God. 

To waver in the path of virtue and righteousness ? To 
be a sinner is the common lot of every one, therefore no 
one is exempted from the performance of the above task, 
otherwise he might proclaim, that lie had not sinned. Such 
a person would certainly try to convert bad into good : yet 
to check this inordinate self-esteem, Jeremiah has said in 
c. 2: 



30 THE VOICE OP TRUTH; OR 

"I will sentence thee for saying, -I have not sinned." 

Let us come to the conclusion : the knowing of our sins 
is the introductory step to the purification of the heart and 
mind. And the words of Jeremiah, c. 4, 

" Break up your fallow ground, not to sow amongst 
thorns," 

"esnnp bx intn bm tj sab mu " 

are plain enough to make us understand that a clean heart 
and a pure mind form the essential requisites, whereas 
prayer and all its costumes are auxiliary for the receiving 
of the grace of God and his forgiveness. 

The impurity of our heart is as the proud flesh of a 
wound ; when it is removed by the proper use of suitable 
remedy, both, the former and the latter will heal. Job says, 
in the 19th chapter : 

" And by that flesh of mine I perceive to serve the 
Lord." 

♦onSa rwia hcaoi 



J|7b %j^mderer. 

We are wanderers, who have lost the right way to the 
gates of our heavenly father's residence, where there reigns 
mercy, grace, and forgiveness. To wind our way through 
the labyrinth of this world, in order to attain this sought 
for forgiveness, constitutes the sinner's mission. His 
success depends on his sagacity and the fervency of his zeal. 
Prayer and fasting are accessory, repentance and amend- 
ing the true and only road. And Solomon says : 

" The striving of fools tires them, for they do not know 
how to get to the city." (See Koheteth, c. 10.) 

Lost and erring wanderer! be not alarmed, roam not 
about seeking the way after thou hast found that it is but 
a vain attempt to find it ! Pause ! consider coolly, and 
should this avail thee nothing, sit down and wait for some 
one, who will come along and will give thee the key to the 
solution of thy difficulty; inquire of others how to proceed, 
as perchance thy running and roaming about has led thee 
into dangerous entanglements on thy way to the city I 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 31 

This illustration is too plain, not to have a close appli- 
cation to our own case and final aim ! The aim is, as we 
have seen, the mercy of. God, in regard to which Jesaias, 
c. 15, says: 

" Repent of thy sins, so that thou mayest stand before 
me." (God.) 

Also says Ezekiel, in c. lb : 

" When the wicked man turneth away from his wicked- 
ness, he shall save his soul alive ; I further will not think 
of his transgression, says the Lord." 

m&d ww rwv "wit vwno y&n iwm 

Whereas the heart is the main organ by which 
righteousness, benevolence, and all that is virtue, can be 
produced, it must be well prepared, set right and in perfect 
order to manifest its higher principles. 

The Psalmist in 101, leans on this same logical evidence, 
for we read there the following : 

" I consider the way of the righteous : When art thou 
coming before me, at my house ? When thou art sure of 
saying: I go with a perfect heart !" 

The Proverbs, c. 25. reads : 

" As deep as the water in the earth are the thoughts of 
men, and it takes a man of good sense to draw them." 

To classify our deeds and to arrange them requires wis- 
dom and purity of heart. 

ghe Hftid Indian's #rm£. 

Let us give an illustration: — A wild Indian, receiving 
a new and handsome present, a beautiful garment, puts it 
on over the filthy one he has been wearing ; that being the 
custom among savages. Civilization would ridicule this 
act of the savage, would scorn and despise this fashion 
of dressing. Civilization jests and sneers at the Indian. — . 
Civilized people array themselves in the delicate garment, 
Prayer, and wear underneath this garment a foul and cor- 

2* 



32 the voice op truth; or 

rtipt heart; civilization- laughs at the faults of others 
while being guilty precisely of the same in a somewhat 
different form. Is it saying too much to apply to these the 
language, Ecclesiastes, c. 10: 

" Yes ! also when he that is a fool, walketh by the way, 
his wisdom faileth him, and he says to every one else, 
"Thou fool!" 

ibzb ^diki "un inS ■fjin blows T"^ $* 

The heart must be pure we say again, it being the source 
of true devotion to the God "Unit." 

King David in his 81st Psalm sa} r s, alluding to this: 
" There shall not be a strange god within thee." 

it Sat "in" n»rv k 1 ? 

It is known that the word " El" ^^ signifies " power." 
No power dare be " within us" to estrange ourselves from 
true devotion to God. Our sages treating this more ex- 
planatorily, said : 

What is this " El Sar ?" " strange power" within thee ? 

" It is the propensity of Evil!" 

~\uni nn ?c-itf hw ism trw nr hx m *>$ 

i v^n -w nr 

We must arrive at the conclusion that we do not under- 
stand serving God, acknowledging his truth, his justice 
and his omniscience, while we pray with an unclean heart, 
with impure thoughts. 

Civilized as we are, we ought to have arrived at that 
high state of theological knowledge which attributes to 
" Him" all the best and the most eminent qualities. Never 
trifle with Him, who is superior to all ! it would be hazar- 
dous, and should thus place ourselves beneath the wor- 
shipper of "Idols." 

W u 0# m S ae . m & ® u W l && m M nm u* 

The savage, whose dense forest has never before been 
entered by any missionary, whose true intent it is to 
preach the true word of the God of Truth ; this savage is 
excusable for having his Idol, for no better light has been 
shed upon his mind, to teach him to do better. He 



THE COMFORTS OE LIPS AND THEIR REVERSES. 33 

naturally will confront the defender of true Religion, by 
openly and boldly prostrating himself at the foot of his 
Idol after his own heart, declaring defiance to those waging 
war upon his Religion. He is an enemy, bold and open, 
to all true Believers ! but we — while we are praying to 
God with an unclean heart, full of base propensities, we 
ought to be considered Idolators, and our action ought to 
be pronounced "Polytheism!" for we are the worst; we 
are deceiving others and ourselves ; we pray for mercy 
yet cling to the passion within us ; we act dreadfully and 
ought to be dreaded, because we are believers in this Idol 
"propensity toward evil" too much! We resemble the foe 
hidden in ambush ! we are trying to deceive others but de- 
ceive ourselves, for God knows all. So speaks Jeremiah, 
c. IT: 

" I am the Lord who searches the heart and examines 
the kidneys." 

Fostering the baseness of our heart by serving our pas- 
sions, and in the meantime saying " we believe in God," 
renders us " Polytheists," instead of acting prudently by 
crushing this image within us; as there are already too many 
causes from without that strengthen and nourish the cor- 
ruption of the "heart," the Idol we so cheerfully adore. 

Both poverty and wealth promotes the growth of the 
passions, as regards this said Moses, in Num. c. 32 : 

" But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked, thou art waxed fat, 
thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness ! thou 
forsook then the God who made thee." 

rowvi rvBO rvny MSfc W2*\ mw j$$*j 

"|SSno b& 

And in case of poverty speaks Jesaias, c. 8 : 
" And when you are hungry, you feel down hearted and 
curse the government." 

Yes; poverty causes many to become submerged in the 
flood of natural proclivities. And for what reason has 
God not given us wealth ? Well, does he owe us any ? 
Have we any legal demand on his kindness ? We should be 
firm at all times. Neither wealth nor poverty must affect 



34 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

our good standing in the judgment of any one. So says the 
Psalmist, c. 10: 

" God, thy praise will I sing while kindness or Jus- 
tice befalls me." 

When Justice, the lot of all sinners, shall be meted out, 
and we still cling to him, "the God of Justice," we may 
then safely say the Idol " propensity" cannot get hold of 
us. 

In connection with this have our sages said : 

by t\20w ibtra r\y-\n by °mb aiA y>n 

ninton 

" It is one's duty to praise the Lord for fortune and mis- 
fortune alike." 

But how widely do our actions differ from the theoreti- 
cal standard of lofty and grand principles ! We say in the 
possession of wealth and abundance with Sanherib : 
n'rVWy ^T niDH " ^H this I have made by the 
strength of my hands," and with Pharaoh, (Ezekiel c. 29,) 
?On&* **7 : " ^ a * s river i s mine." They forgot the true 
origin, and God destroyed their wealth and power. Their 
own energy was the idol of their heart ; and all this be- 
gotten through this idol was a blast. Moses, the divine 
teacher, entreated the children of Israel in the most solemn 
manner never to natter themselves or to pronounce their 
own strength supernatural, for such view would at once 
check the belief in Him, " who is the unit, the strength, the 
might, and none but Him alone ;" for he spake in Deut. 
c. 1: 

" For it is He who gives thee the power to accumulate 
strength." 

b»n mvyb m~\b jrn:n Kin o 

We also find in iSamuei I. c. 14 : 

" It is not difficult with God to help thee with little or 
with much." 

\tt9tSH w ma ywrb tuwd *b pa ^ 

See again tue words oi our Patriarcti Jacob. (Gan. 32 :) 
" I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies." 

DHDnn Sdo TlJtDp 

This sentence is in Targum : . 

,pno bju\ pon bio to \yy\ 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 35 

" My own deeds are too few and too insignificant to de- 
serve such kindness of God." 
Remember here the adage : 

hd irmsoa "oSji nbvr\ rvn )mb tDM 

Win nil n&y^ 

Which means : 

" Alas for the little fishes, whereas the whales can be 
caught by hooks and managed by tackle." 

Jacob, one of the biblical pillars, deems himself unworthy 
of God's kindness, etc. How must it be with us — poor 
generations — standing as we do on a far lower scale of 
purity and piety, who do not perceive God, who rather 
adhere to richness, money, sensual pleasures, as if these 
were the gods whom we love and who actuates our minds. 
So speaks Hosea, c. 2 : 

hvib \m nnn rh *rv:nn mi 

" I increased her silver and gold, but to Baal (the his- 
torical image) was it rendered." 

Sensual pleasures are getting every day more influence 
over us; the strife after wealth keeps our minds busy and 
hurries us to the brink of the precipice, below which lies 
a yawning depth, called " Misrepresentation of the deeds 
of God and his relations to us!" 

The wealthy are caught by the charms of opulence — • 
whereas the poor decry the management of God, and 
readily attribute to Him a certain injustice in dealing out 
the treasures of this world. 

In reference to the above, says David, Psalm 10: 

" The wicked searches" not in his haughtiness for any 
cause ! t There is no God,' is the tendency of his entire 
thoughts." 

bj bvft« t*n >tyiTv b2 is** mm wn 

He abjures his relation to God, and kneels down at the 
shrine of his own sensibility. We may not have har- 
dihood enough to acknowledge this, but our actions de- 
clare us guilty. The idea of our being ourselves the cause 
of our misfortunes, will hardly ever rise up in our mind; 
and because we are sinners, we deserve punishment, in 
order to become fit to enjoy the grace of God, as Psalm 94 
reads : 



36 THE VOICE OP truth; OB 

" Weal to that man punished by God." 

rv nno'n naw t^xn nt»K 

Nay, we are too rash in our decisions, too near sighted 
to see our own faults ; we surpass our own limits and 
imagine " God is unjust." We weak minded ones I let us 
read in Pro v. 19: 

" Folly (wickedness) crookens the ways of men, so that 
they chide against the Lord." 

] yv *? ^jn •on ban onx rhvt 

This verse is applicable to every one who is not appre- 
hensive of the relation of his own deeds to God's masterly 
workings. And sinful man will have to stand up before 
the God of Justice ; before " Him," firm as a rock, perfect 
in his deeds, justice personified in all his ways ! So taught 
us our divine teacher Moses. Deut. c. 32. 

" Perfect are the deeds of the most powerful, and justice 
works his way." 

Endeavor, therefore, to comprehend God fully and to 
acknowledge his providence ; for he is the justice that 
brings infliction upon the wicked and wanton. But may 
we also remember the meaning of the Psalm 25: 

" Kindness and truth are the ways of God to those 
minding his covenants and statutes." 

inmn vma n^u 1 ? mm lian n mrm hj 

Do we not grapple for false presumptions ? Do we not 
often blame God, whereas we ourselves are to blame for 
the result of our blamable actions ? 

Jffe ^ich <fflm mid a §aar ^jndivi&ml 

A little illustration may not come amiss here : a rich man 
gave to a poor person a beautiful mansion for his own 
occupation. The rooms were spacious, the furniture 
sumptuous and elegant; the larder supplied with the best 
and most nutritious viands. The poor protege was blind. 
A prominent physician was placed in attendance upon 
him ; the necessary medicine for the restoration of his e t ve- 
sight was prescribed, and it was a salve " compounded of 
different ingredients ;" the skill and experience of the dis- 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 37 

ciple of the god JHsculapius pronounced it infallible. The 
poor blind man, delighted with his surroundings in his new 
position in life, forgets to apply the salve. He walks about 
the house endeavoring to find his way through all its dif- 
ferent apartments, but meets with obstacles. Here he 
comes in contact with a chair, yonder he runs against a 
massive wardrobe; the rugs and carpets entangle his feet, 
and finally he falls. Becoming angry at his mistake, and 
driven by passion, he accuses as the author of his misfor- 
tunes his generous and noble protector and benefactor ; calls 
the mansion awkward, and finds fault with the construc- 
tion of his abode. Actuated by insolence, he mistrusts 
the good will of the founder of the establishment. What 
caused all this ? He was blind ! The blind man chose 
his own fate — to remain blind. He was blind and silly 
for not having applied the "salve" prescribed. In cor- 
roboration read the words of King Solomon, Eccl. c. 2 : 

u The wise man has his eyes in his head ; the fool walks 
about in darkness." 

^Sin ^n^L Worn— wann w asm 

The first part of this sentence could also be translated 
without any reference to the meaning of the words : u The 
wise man has his eyes on the Begin, he looks upon the 
Begin, and beholds God, the first of all, prior to creation, 
as the Creator of the beginning;" so he may (as a wise 
man) be always aware of the will and wishes of his great 
Benefactor, and walks in the light of piety, — whereas the 
fool walketh in darkness, and has to meet with many in- 
cumbrances, hurtful to himself alone, while obstinately re- 
fusing the healing balsam offered to his wounds. We are, 
I say, the direct cause of our own punishments by not 
applying of the medicaments offered to us in our suffering 
condition. We, silly creatures, fail only too often in 
warding off the just punishment we have incurred. 

^nnixit and H^inintzn. 

However, God is kind and just ; he unites gentleness 
with justice, and not always does he punish wickedness at 
once. In his providential forbearance he often delays the 
punishment justly due, in order to give the sinner a 



33 THE VOICE op truth; or 

chance to atone, by abandoning his evil ways. This de- 
tention of punishment is an almost daily experience and 
causes many to consider the justice of God questionable. 
Reader, be better instructed on this point ; the giving of 
time and opportunity that the sinner may work out his 
own redemption, by no means indicates partiality on God's 
part, for God is kind as well as just ! Justice may often 
be preceded by kindness, as we read in Eccl. c. 8 : 

u Because sentence against an evil work is not executed 
speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men is fully 
set in them to do evil." 

*?y mno rvnn n^o ojns new ?* nip k 
n nwyS am awn un n^ kSo p 

Sinners, while you are at the height of earthly weal and 
affluence, be not induced to increase your evil doings 
by doubting the justice of the All-ruler ! Mistake not ! 
Kindness is lavishing all its influence upon you to prompt 
you to do better ! The man in sufferings should not fail 
to behold in Him that kind judge, who, though kind, yet 
impartial, must finally execute a postponed sentence 
against sin, perhaps long ago perpetrated — a sin whose 
importance may be lost beneath the horizon of his own 
recollection, or has become a little speck on the firma- 
ment of his life, so insignificantly little in his own estima- 
tion as to seem harmless ; nay, it may even appear to be a 
" good deed." Such is often the case, for the eye of un- 
derstanding is wanting, the knowledge of God with us not 
sufficiently matured. Would we be only wise enough to 
have our eyes always directed to God, the Creator of the 
beginning, in order to study him, to gain in knowledge, 
"so much needed! to comprehend more easily how to 
fulfil his will!" Attention is the first requirement, with- 
out which real comprehension is not attainable. True 
understanding is the mighty lever that overturns all per- 
plexing obstacles, and raises on high, by its great power, 
the true religion, and set " right" upon its throne. So read 
in Prov. c. 8 : 

" Those seeking the Lord must all this comprehend." 

bj w:r ft t^pnD 

Seeking the Lord supposes a " thinking" on Him. 
Thinking is equivalent to "meditating;" and meditation 



THE COMFORTS OP LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 39 

produces intellectual knowledge! It further reads in c. It 
of the Proverbs : 

"The entangled heart finds no good:" no under- 
standing ! 



What are we ? are we not the most noble creatures on 
earth ? Feel we not, know we not, that the immortal soul 
of ours must be animated by noble gifts within the reach 
of men by intellectual understanding, whose main 
support is called Reason ! This power of reasoning dis- 
tinguishes mankind from any other species of creation, 
and the cultivation of this power is what raises us up from 
this mortal coil of clay ; and we seek in higher regions 
those spiritual threads that determine in divine relation 
toward each other, whereas instinct cleaves to earth and is 
the dumb beast's sole possession. 

We are on this forewarned in Prov. c. 17 : 

Vnn \m tidd didd vnn bK 

" Be ye not like the horse or mule not to understand " 
they have not the power of reasoning, although nature 
gave them u instinct," but man is created in the image of 
God. 

ififrirn man ns* dtoh *nnn 

The power of reasoning, that spiritual intellect, what 
makes man superior to all creatures is man's surpassing 
gift : Reason ! this unseen yet comprehensive power -.capa- 
city of mind! by the training and control of . which we 
guide our immortal soul heavenwards to its final perfec- 
tion ; these are the main traits of God's image, unseen and 
incorporeal ; like these, God is not seen, yet visible ; he is 
not included in any shape or form, but He shapes and 
forms forever. The power of mind scorns the speed of 
light and the velocity of electricity, the rapidity of the 
winds and the swiftness of sound, it bids defiance to bodily 
obstructions while transmitting the thoughts of men to 
any point, place or distance, to which it is directed; being 
itself incomparable with any earthly phenomenon, it seeks 



40 THE VOICE OP TRUTH; OR 

in God's omniscience and omnipresence its kindred powers, 
it being the issue of " God ;" and verily, man possessed of 
this godlike gift is in God's image created. 

Our divine teacher was almost compelled while trying 
to enlighten the people of dark ages and to instruct them 
in regard to this vast mental power, "intellect," to which 
he should resort in all the perplexities of life — to tell them 
in Deut. c. 4, to " be very cautious, for you have seen no 
form but you have heard a voice," the voice of Reason, 
emanating from the Being " God," all Reason ! 

Sd carvm xh o aynwBzb iwo Dmaaw 
i^p >n*rit ,D'tfn onms r\nnn\ ,nxiDn 

Reason, mind, comprehension, and intellect, form a 
phalanx in which our soul shall find protection. These 
are a donation God has bestowed upon us, for which 
angels even may envy mankind. They form the protec- 
tion and the guiding star, to lead the soul onwards safely 
and surely and to its place at God's celestial throne. 

But we surely miss the aim in view by using our intel- 
lect for bad purposes or for the obtaining of earthly ad- 
vantages; by doing this we have lowered our exalted 
position, and have left the platform shown to us by the 
holy Scripture. 

King David, Psalm 106, says: 

" They have exchanged their distinction for an ox which 
eats grass." 

nw Sm^ tip rvnm dtod hk won 

Reader, by a mere superficial reading of this expression, 
we cannot help asking why the writer uses the apparently 
surplus words u which eats grass." But by a closer exami- 
nation must we admit, that while grass is the gross food 
of the animal, (the ox,) and the beast makes by instinct 
" eating" his calling, and the satisfying of his animal appe- 
tite his sole occupation. We human beings, men, the 
pride of God's creation! if we only make the intellect 
subserve the desire to accumulate dollars, to procure 
means by which we can obtain our worldly aspirations, to 
satisfy our sensual propensities; we certainly resemble 
the Psalmist's ox; we certainly have then, figuratively 
speaking, bartered away our superiority ; we have then 
surrendered our intellect to instinct and drowned our im- 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 41 

mortal soul in the abyss of passion and low desires ; we 
have made then a subordinate the superior: eating, 
drinking and vague pleasures onr aim and purpose. O 
we, who have become so brutalized and debased ! where is 
our intellectuality, that God has designed for our own ele- 
vation. Too many of us belong to those of which the 
prophet Jesaias speaks, c. 22 : 

" Who eats and drinks under the impression of having 
to die to-morrow." 

iron -im o wi bm 

These are the ones who, while their spiritual intellect 
long since has been degraded and neglected, deny the 
immortality of the soul. 

Retribution follows. 

Our soul has been given into our particular care, we 
shall have to account for it, whether we like to do so or 
not. Read Eccl. c. 12. 

"Earth returns to earth, from where it hails, but the 
soul goes back to God who gave it." 

bx nwn rmm nvitra vvKn b® navn zwii 

Reason convinces us of this without the holy Scripture. 
The last sigh, the last breath, the last farewell look of the 
dying one in his last moment, when the body is about to 
surrender its spiritual occupant and undergo that strange 
transformation called " death " — then and there speaks 
this solemn crisis more convincingly, than the letter of the 
book, more plainly, than any doctor of divinity from his 
pulpit, that there is no end and oblivion to the soul, and 
that this soul has to give account ! Read in Jeremiah, 
c. It. 

" Judah's iniquities are recorded " 

rains rmrv ™&n 

and nothing will be forgotten in reference to which Jesaias 
speaks C. 40: 

Tiny *toD£o Wroi "d 'mi mnw 



42 THE VOICE o? truth; or 

"Why does Jacob say thus, and Israel speaks: My 
ways are hidden before God, and the Lord will not execute 
my judgment." 

npn y* w nSi y" $b x^n nivp 

inmn 1 ? 

"Knowest thou not, hast thou not heard that God is 
God of the Universe, that he is the Creator of the Earth ? 
He never tires, he never grows faint, to his wisdom there 
is no limit ! " 

Which words the voices of our Rabbis have confirmed. 

" Be not satisfied with the counsel of thy base passions 
that the grave shall be thy final subterfuge." 

Kin inn wipn oobon ^o ^So 

" For against thy will must thou give account, and stand 
the judgment of the King of kings, the All-holy, blessed 
be'He!'" 

Besides this s&ys Job in c. 4 : 

" According the deeds of man will be his pay." 

h ahw ens hvB a 

Ah ! would mankind only consider the importance of 
the foregoing and act accordingly, then the words of the 
Prophet Jeremiah would finally become true. 

" Give honor to the Eternal your God before the dark- 
ness approaches." 

T^rv onion on*n^ »b -nnn un 

To honor God before the dark grave opens its gloomy 
depths, in order to embrace the mortal coil, is the para- 
mount duty of all. 

Jfe ^tlmudml ^tuttg # Sufficient ^lifeguard? 

There are many of us now who believe, that the study 
of Talmud would be indispensable to that fulfilment of 
this high duty of ours. — Let us see ! — To serve God is to 
honor Him. How do we honor God ? In studying much 



THE COMFORTS OF LTFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 43 

Talmud? What are the contents of Talmud ? — This work 
contains various treatises. Deem it not honoring or serv- 
ing God to study that part of Talmud, which makes it its 
object to define the legal matter "an ox goars and injures 
a cow," and defines under what circumstances the law 
requires the owner of the ox to pay the damages incurred. 
— Again the Talmud treats of the " offering of sacrifices 
and regulates the time and the place where and when to 
offer them." As regards the first item, the question of 
"mine" and "thine" dissolving, becomes nothing but a 
question of common justice or "Equity!" — If the study 
of such matters could be called " serving or honoring 
God," it would naturally follow that all lawyers, owing 
to their "legal profession," would be entitled to assume 
the name of " servants of God ! " Whether or not such 
a name is deserved, I leave to the general voice to decide. 
It is true, the Talmud offers a vast terrain of circum- 
stances upon which the mind may freely exercise its fond- 
ness for jurisprudence; but has the student of law in his 
view the honoring of God or the promotion of his own 

future happiness ? We have to abide by the laws of 

whatever government we live under; all our Talmudists 
agree on this and have adopted the general decision : 

ton rnstan wh 

" The laws of our Government are our laws," and the 
furthermore they have said : 

]bn «ip: ddsh bv rayon 

" Those who do not pay the due tax are called Robbers." 
Is therefore, we ask again, one who studies deeply the 
law of a country also "honoring God?" To know the 
law is the business of the judges and the lawyers, while 
to serve God is the duty of every one. And again ! the 
knowledge of when and where to offer sacrifices can be of 
but very little use to us of the present age, as the temple 
is destroyed, and the animal-sacrifices would not be any 
more agreeable to the present century ; nay, the belief 
that even God himself never has ordained the Law of 
this offering is corroborated by the opinion of the work 

" Morah Nebuchim," Art. 3 ♦ jj p^fl ED'3133 7T\*\D 
"Causes for Laws" ♦ fWj^Qn V^VcOH aild of the .work 
"Midrash Kabba." 



44 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

liefer, please, to these treatises mentioned, and be con- 
vinced that such is the opinion of those authors of whom 
I am speaking, in order to establish the truth of this asser- 
tion ; though the Talmud furnishes a great study, and 
is much to be recommended to all those who aim at de- 
riving a personal benefit therefrom. — The following little 
narrative speaks plainer than all my arguments could 
do, to substantiate these views. 

§he §ed of gtnig, 

A scholar was once asked by a certain person : What 
will be the decision in the case of divorce about to be heard 
before the court? Scholar replies: You, sir, ask my opin- 
ion in regard to something, the knowledge of which 
would be of verjj little interest to me. I assure you, that 
during my thirty-five years of constant study I have never 
paid any attention to the subject of law; for I do not 
deem that of sufficient importance, the knowledge of which 
could only promote my distinction or improve my worldly 
condition. {Stranger :) What has been then the topic 
of your study ? (Scholar, smiling:) 1 studied and study 
God! " I place the Lord always before me!" Psalm 16 : 

Reader, how deep and how weighty in meaning was the 
answer of this scholar ! God is the greatest object we 
could possibly place before us in making him our study ; 
to " understand him well" is a science to learn, which takes 
a whole lifetime : promoting our spiritual greatness ! eleva- 
ting our position from earth to heaven ! — The more we 
study "God," the more certain will we be to succeed ! 
Such may be done by stripping our sins and corruptions 
from off our hearts, so that with a pure mind we may be- 
hold " Him " in his unsullied purity. But there is a bar- 
rier that hinders us from accomplishing this grand aim 
and purpose ! 



Our hearts resemble a room, over the windows (two in 
all) of which the spiders had drawn their webs in such 
dense masses that no light could penetrate them. To remove 
the webs in order to obtain the desired light, is the first 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 45 

thing requisite, as light is absolutely necessary to render 
the room either comfortable or habitable. Having light 
on an}^ subject, renders it more comprehensible ; as our 
sages had well remarked : 

no mm &w t^rh up rr*DDnn mnS 

" The heart of the wise man has a seeing eye, a some- 
thing which the fool cannot see." 

And what hinders him from seeing it? The impure 
heart. He, therefore, cannot see the difference between 
"good" and "evil!" - Many think that the accumulation 
of a golden fortune is wisdom — and the study of a piece 
of Talmud "piety;" although the Prophet Jeremiah says 
in c. 8 : 

" Behold, they have rejected the words of the Lord, is 
there any wisdom in such?" 

tDrb no nDDrn )dhd n nmn n)r\ 

Is it wisdom to deceive the master by not doing the 
work directed to be done ? Still less a master, who was 
generous enough to pay for the work in advance. Our 
heavenly Master gave us support ; he surrounded us with 
means by which we can procure all the necessaries of life. 
In the midst of all it is unfortunately true that we forget him 
the faster, neglect him the more, — the more bountifully he 
has opened for us all the sources of assistance and help. 

As if we were only desirous of acting in opposition to 
his will ! after we have obtained all we wished for in re- 
gard to earthly possession. Our divine teacher speaks 
inDeut. c. 32: 

" Is this the way you are compensating me for all this, 
ye foolish, unwise nation." 

QDn a*n Sn: d? dk? hosn »Sn 

How much of virtue is at the bottom of our. heart ? 
What degree of attachment to God, the King of kings is 
to be found within us ? What is the fervency of the 
feeling with which we regard " Him," our father, the 
nation's friend? We fail to comprehend his laws con- 
cerning nations ; we wander in darkness ; we are standing 
in our own light ; we seek not light ; we care not for 
laws, but neglect his godly ordinances : 



46 TnE voice op truth; on 

" For the ordinance is the Lamp, and the holy teaching 

is the Light." 

•m rrnm nvib n: »i 

We read in Proverbs, c. 1 : The full performance of a 
prescribed duty is to an unlighted lamp compared, which 
requires " Light" in order to attain its proper usefulness. 
" Torah" the Teaching of and on the " holy one" renders 
the plain command more potent, more perfect, and is 
therefore the parallel of Light to the Lamp. Viewing this 
to be true spoke " Job" in c. 22 : 

" Please take ' Torah,' (Teaching) from his mouth." 

: rmn vsd tfa np 

We must, therefore, take up with stud}^ in order to ren- 
der " Teachings" digestive to our mind, so we gain the 
requisite knowledge of God who has given us different 
sources from which we can draw knowledge. Not alone 
the word itself, but the work emanating from his word may 
be adapted to adding the Light to the Lamp. A work, 
for instance, emanating from His word, is Nature around 
and above and beneath us. 

Let us study Nature! 

Nature comprises the records of God's laws to a great 

extent included in Natural History. We read in Nature's 

volume about the different seasons of the year, and in order 

to comprehend such, it is very advisable for us to study 

Astronomy. See what the great Rambam (nDHD"*0 savs 
about this in Tract Q'jnt IID as regards this science: 

piTDn o^ina nvrb wsa n von 

" God demands of us to become pious and wise ;" as 
King David speaks about God on an occasion, see Psalm 
53: 

" By the Heaven sees God upon the children of men to 
behold, wh ether they are awake and sensible to regard the 
Eternal." 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 47 



^ztronomg in J|/#% ^commended. 

Behold then, Reader, and study the stars and the moon. 
In order to become sensible and learn to understand the 
sun, be awake when it rises; for the researches into the 
domain of learning will cause you to regard the Eternal. 
Many of our sages have very highly recommended the 
study of Astronomy, thus saying : 

i msipm 2\wrh tew nvrw yyo 

" How can it be established to be our duty to learn 
Astronomy." 

awn wih DDnrn CDnDDn «>n o 

" Because this be your wisdom and understanding, what 
is in sight of the nations." (Deut. c. 4.) 

The planets in their nearly undisturbed and regular revo- 
lution in the dazzling heights, were and are yet only 
partially explored by men ! To penetrate by constant ob- 
servations their apparent mysteries, offered the people of 
that time a chance for the exercise of their energy in study 
and scientific investigation. Although the Phoenicians 
may have brought commerce to an astonishing degree of 
perfection; agriculture may have reaped the most mar- 
vellous results, the best of success ; along the shores of 
the Mediterranean the ships may have been floating and 
hailing the lands with their unfurled colors, yet all these 
affairs were discoveries of Yore — contrivances which had 
already gained a certain headway, which to make a deeper 
study of would render Israel less renowned. But as- 
tronomy and the sciences combined with it were in a 
dormant state, a new and vast field was open to the investi- 
gation of all, yet not understood, and consequently hy the 
depressed minds of the then existing nations natural 
objects were idolized. Those ages of old looked up to the 
sky, and these myriads of bodies which were visible, each 
spreading forth its rays of light, — yes, this multitude of 
fountains of light was not yet explored and defined. Thou- 
sands of years had past, yet there they stood — beckoning 
to be taken into consideration by mankind; offering a 

3 



48 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

problem which, when studied and dissolved, would result in 
a most marvellous gain; for Light as they are — they were 
ready to give to all diligent searchers a Light on God, the 
creator of this fountain of Light. We may even admit, 
that the labor spent upon astronomical subjects may have 
been felt by some one in the shape of vague suppositions, 
but it was not thoroughly understood. 

Nature's beneficial influence was everywhere visible. 
The waters ebbed and flowed; the orcan of the ocean, the 
seasons of the year came and went in regular succession, 
but all there appearances were produced by the fixed stars 
and the planets, and all this i$ governed by certain laws. 
" Those are the laws of Him who made them " — this was 
less known and not yet understood, and are subject 
to a study still to be searched out. Our sages are of the 
opinion, that the study of astronomy is in fact a biblical 
command; for we read in Deut. c. 4: 

"Hold on to and follow it, for 'this' constitutes your 
wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the 
nations." 

Nations see this, and do not comprehend it ; the}' call 
it " Nature and its effects," not being aware that God holds 
all these planets under his control, not knowing and 
understanding that the earth-ball is also a planet, upon 
which mankind lives and is governed by that grand Spirit 
"God!" 

In order to fulfil our mission, to bring forth light in the 
most obscure works on the surface of the earth, we ought 
to make " astronomy " part of our stucty, for it is a part of 
the history of nature and to be learned by us as a nation. 
Thus will we elevate our position in the sight of the 
present nations, because it removes any taint of this 
branch of idolatry, and leads to the one and true religion: 
" to the knowledge of a unit and his will," and to the con- 
stant readiness to act according to that religion of 
Israel which, in the natural course of events, must become 
the religion of the universe. 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 49 



jettons must hive n limit — Science none. 

I have often noticed, that many of us, study a certain 
branch of science for a certain purpose, and when this is 
accomplished, abjure any further researches upon the field 
of " science," and reject any other chance to enrich the 
minds with any other knowledge, in any other sphere. 

I must, therefore, furthermore say, that in my humble 
opinion " proficiency in science " is absolutely necessary 
for the finishing of our task u here below," for our aggran- 
dizement " above." 

In the closest connection with this, kind reader, see 
" Tekmich Shivim Lesohar :" 

ymbi nxbvv «n ton (imtS isyiitb wipn) 
y*te tw in : emp vn nronssw rrSzntb 

mm Si rnnS id? nnK Sns 

" While searching amongst thorns we may often find a 
delicious and fragrant rose," because of the irrevocable 
truth of the saying, we are even allowed to learn the secrets 
of sorcery and magic; but these fill the minds of most men 
with a certain perplexity. As regards this foregoing have 
our learned men decided that " this knowledge of such 
may be acquired and understood," yet they are not to be 
professional, carried on, as it reads in Deut. c. 18 : 

" But thou mayest learn all such to understand it well, 
and may be taught thereby to learn how to gain light on 
any subject we are in search of, which is : to know God ! 

The light principally renders the lamp useful and valu- 
able. 

This great light of understanding, impulse of religion, 
will finally penetrate the hearts of mankind ; nay, it must ! 
Mist and vapor, incomprehension and perplexity must 
give way before clearness and light, wisdom and learning ; 
while the first must disappear, the latter will stand vic- 
torious aloft. 

Mist, vapor, incomprehension, perplexity, resemble 



50 THE VOICE OP truth; or 

the mixture of various colors on a window-glass. The 
sun sends forth its rays against a blue glass, or black, or 
green, or red one, and the light appears to be blue, black, 
green, or red ; yet all this is a mere reflection — against 
which knowledge raises its voice proclaiming loudly : 

" Truth is and will be nothing but the truth, for the 
rays of the sun are pure and crystal-like." 

In the midst of our actions can their magnitude be made 
clear enough to show, whether God alone is the sole object 
or other causes are the instigation of the same. Reflection 
must again surrender, for truth is more effective after all. 

It is by no means an easy task to honor God through 
all the stages of life — and thanks to knowledge and 
science which have become a very essential medium, by 
which we the more easily comprehend how to honor God ! 
The mere reading of a book or two on religion is not suffi- 
cient to make us acquainted with " Him." No, says King 
Solomon in Pro v. 20 : 

?k rupsnn n^iatoMi b:D f rwpnn Qa 

" If thou art looking for knowledge do like thou wouldst 
do while looking for silver and searching for hidden 
treasures, only then mayst thou find out to perceive tiie 
fear of God." 

Strenuous efforts on our part are required to compre- 
hend God in order to honor Him. 



§he gin$B fetter. 

A little illustration would certainly come here in place : 
A mortal king, a king on earth writes to one of us, being 
his subject, a brief, illegible little letter. The receiver is 
fully justified in pondering on the contents of the note re- 
ceived. We would advise him, in case he was not able to 
decipher the whole of the contents, to go and consult a 
more experienced friend, to instruct the communication to 
him, that he might solve the problem correctly. But what 
might be the answer of his friend: This letter before us 
remains in part a deep study for us both, therefore go 
find out for yourself the power of the king, his mode of 



THE COMFORTS OP LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 51 

ruling, see his entire state and observe the condition of 
the country, omit not to notice the fortifications built 
under the king's administration; watch the strength of his 
formidable marine that plows the waves of the ocean — in 
order to learn to become strengthened in the future 
obedience to the future will of the king. We are almost 
certain that this man would go readily to work, to act 
according to the advice of his friend in order to please the 
king and to honor his kingly mandate. This much for a 
mortal king. 

Let us draw now an inference : God the King of all 
kings, immortal, everlasting, spirit ! called also upon us in 
brief words; yet they concern deeply our happiness, our 
position, our welfare! So it reads in Deut. c. 30. 

" The law of God it is thy life and the length of thy 
time." 

m niton dki B"nn na y}*h Tim n^n 

3m h*n men 

" I place before thee to-day the life and the good, the 
death and the evil!" 

But we deem it not worth while to consider this ; we 
hardly think earnestly about the existence of this God ; 
we do not fulfil the law "similar to the Lamp," and how 
can we enjoy the Light without the Lamp ? 

We are not a little amazed when the truth of the holy 
and divine Teachings boldly places itself before our intel- 
lectual eye; yet weak as it is, having remained in darkness 
heretofore, it cannot bear the resplendent Light " Truth ;" 
the change is too sudden ! The eye is the sick part ; the 
Light remains a benefit forever and for all,notwithstanding 
the unaccustomed eye suffers partly by it. 

Such is the circumstance of the laws and teachings of 
God, intended to brighten up the path of life ! 

Read the words of the Prophet, Hosea, c. 14. 

uin wy 

" Straight are the ways of the Lord ; the righteous walk 
on them, but the transgressors fall therein." 



52 THE VOICE OP truth; or 

Now ! where is the hidden cause ; that while the first 
walks right along, the latter falls therein ? 

These being found prostrate and helpless on the ways 
of God, convinces us sufficiently, that also the transgressors 
aim at walking in this glorious highway ; shows us that 
also the sinner feels the necessUVy of doing Right ! Alas, 
his eye is effected, he shuts it and follows altogether the 
god of his own fancy, the image "nature," and is 
guided by the laws and demands of nature. He strives 
for earthly possession, the accumulating of which com- 
prises his " laws" dictated by the mass accumulated. 



bewilderment 

Wisely says Job in c. 1 1 : 

1% th« JTI3 TW 

" Man is born like a wild animal " 

Without a developed mind he is raised by an all-caring 
mother, supported by kind hands and an indefatigable, 
boundless, providential care. He consequently thanks 
none but kind " nature" for all this, and clings to " nature," 
his spurious god. 

The Prophet Hosea alluding to such dangerous and 
blind views, says in c. 11. 

C3Tltf*n »3 WT 
" I verily have placed a guide at Ephraim's disposal, to 
carry him (Ephraim) on his arms, yet he (Ephraim) would 
not notice me, being his help. 17 

While taking any subordinate power for our benevolent 
God, we most assuredly mistake ourselves and our deeds. 
It is therefore nothing to be wondered at, that those per- 
sons expect " good" for evil, owing to the feeble condition 
of their intellectual capacity. 

DruBD -pa? EP5M»D) not \\vvn nmv 

" While acting (bad) like Simry they are expecting com- 
pensation (good) like Pinchas," was the saying of our 
sages applied to cases like the foregoing one, to which 
the expression of the Psalmist, c. 58, may be added 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 53 

T)W\V npiy IWtf *tJQ which means, they are not 
righteous themselves, that they are but living under false 
presumption. 

To this I will add ; that those men are increasing their 
indebtedness to G-od instead of diminishing the same, 
however much they deem themselves walking in the path 
of religion. — u The periphery is not the centre and the 
shell not the kernel ; religion not a garment, subject to 
be willed from heir to heir." Nothing else but a refined 
heart and a rightly developed mind are the intimate asso- 
ciates of true religion ; those three constitute a chain, the 
links of which must not be severed ; they form a mass of 
causes and effects well met together, and so closely, that any 
attempt to analyze the same would be profane: it would 
show at once the laical disposition of low and debased 
principles. 

Jfbr#ft, the %^nmn, abhors two §£liitigs. 

Let us then be cautious how we speak about a person 
of the purest motives, and of more wisdom than we pos- 
sibly could boast, if such an individual does something not 
exactly concurring with our own views. If we should pro- 
ceed with unseemly haste to condemn him, to slander this 
man, by so doing we are heaping burning coals upon our 
own misguided heads like all fanatics, whose rays are ob- 
scure and forever opposed to "light;" still their hearts 
are not without envy, and for the position's sake they set 
themselves up as judges of others, self-appointed, not being 
called upon. Like " Korah," he also pretended to serve 
the Lord, affronting Moses. 

" Troth ! thy whole nation is holy." 

This emphatic word was untimely, by no means prudent 
and therefore unwise. Was the then prevailing intellect 
of the nation matured enough to establish the truth of his 
inj unctive question ? Korah was the man to attribute the 
best 'of ideas to himself, and to obliterate the actions of 
others not exactly agreeable to his own views. His revolt 
was nothing but trespass, and he was guilty of misde- 
meanor : contempt of real wisdom in advocating the 
nation's knowledge to be on a par with the intellect of a 



54 THE VOICE OE TRUTH; OR 

Moses. Korah was a direct slanderer, who cared not wliat 
and how he spoke of others. We, too, have our Korahites, 
always ready to condemn without knowing "why!" I 
speak from my own experience : A certain Mr. A . came to 
me post haste, speaking very indignantly about a man 
called "B." 

Mr. G. What is the matter, Mr. A. ? 

Mr. A. Who would have thought that B. " would have 
turned such *?tf l^'O y y\&}B (Transgressor in Israel ?)" 

Mr. G. What do you say ? B. is a transgressor ? I am 
somewhat puzzled, Mr. A., for " B." is known to be wise, 
single-hearted, and pious ! 

Mr. A. {Quite angry.) Pious ! you say ? I caught him 
eating at a public table without having a hat on his head. 
He is a renegade ! a villain ! a sinner No. 1 ! 

Mr. G. Please, Mr. A., be not too rash. Let us take 
his " case " into consideration ; give him a fair trial before 
you condemn him. 

Mr. A. His being seen to eat bareheaded is enough 
proof of his guilt, to treat him with the utmost contempt. 

Mr. G. Mr. A., how would you like to make it a case of 
j^our own before you condemn? for you know such have 
our Talmudist recommended. 

Mr. A. God forbid ! that I should ever be guilty of 
eating bareheaded. 

Mr. G. Tell me the reason for your not acting like Mr. B. 

Mr. A. (A little surprised.) My grandfather, you know 
— has told me — not to eat without — a hat on! 

Mr. G. You, Mr. A., you are a sample of obedience, a 
dutiful grandson to your grandfather's wishes. Has he 
ever recorded this his wish ? or do you intend doing so 
for him ? 

Mr. A. (Feeling himself very much flattered.) No ! he 
never! and as for myself — I never thought about it. 

Mr. G. I wonder ! There were great men living before 
us, whose views of this topic have been recorded though, 
and many of their descendants are self-acting while 
referring to these ancient records. 

Mr. A. (After taking a chair to sit down and watching 
my countenance very closely.) I should be pleased to 
hear somewhat more of those records and their contents, 
as I am utterly down on this transgressor " B." 



THE COMFORTS OP LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 55 

Mr. G. Will you listen with patience and attention ? 
. Mr. A. 1 promise I will ! 

Mr. G. It has always been in Asia, the country of our 
ancestors, the style to cover the head while a person was 
showing due respect to a man of dignity. In Morocco 
and other countries exist the custom of pulling the rim 
of the hat down to the e}^e-lids, in order to show submis- 
siveness and inferiority to persons of distinction or high 
rank. Our forefathers adopted a like custom while pray- 
ing to God ; others again base this way of praying upon 
the following : Devising the dress of the " priest on duty," 
God said to Moses, that Aaron and his sons should wear 
a cap ; another proof is contained in a talmudical legend. 
You will find in Tract. Shabbath, page 126 : 

T~a i *nS:i nb id* pm* in Ton: m rro\«t 
Know >)nm o*n *a ! 7&n hm $h i tyh 

"A man who could read the planets spoke to the mother 
of Rabbi Nachman, son of Isaac : ; Thy son will become 
a thief if he goes bareheaded !' Upon which the mother 
accosted her son : Go not bareheaded ! so thou mayest 
learn to fear the Lord." 

And in reply to this speaks the author of Chobeth- 
Ilalvovath in the name of Rabbi Ashur in his introduc- 
tion of the part ITabetachin in latter years : 

ttSfc o a DP riKT 1 ?. eftti &8l\ri ^qdw xh 
win -»iddp nw JTDrnSi nvunb nih rnso 

The covering of the head signifies not the direct fear 
before God ; it is merely to be looked upon as a fair way 
to a more undisturbed meditation while " praying," and to 
remember the by-gone times, when our ancestors were 
guided by the then ruling fashion of the country they 
lived in — had done so to approach God in a decent way, for 
he is the dignity «of all the dignities ; the superior of all 
superiority; the most-sublime. Propriety of dress and 
decorum was adhered to. But we dare not refrain from 

3* 



56 THE VOICE OF TPaJTH ; OR 

praying, from seeking God, if by circumstances we* were 
deprived of decent garments ; because we find in Traetat, 
Sophrim Sorbt. 14 art, is the following ordinance: 

yotp 

" Should the clothes be torn, or the head uncovered you 
are not excused by such for not reading Shemangh ! " 

A certain great Rabbi, 7^*^ said to his congregation, 
not to walk about bareheaded ; still it remains for us to 
suppose, that some of the members of his congregation 
were neglectful in garment and careless in dressing. To 
walk about in the street without a headcover is even in 
modern times not customary. — This, Mr. A., is all I have 
laid or will lay before you, taken from the records of wise 
men ! 

Mr: A. I see enough ! I am fully convinced, that I have 
wronged Mr. B., and I faithfully promise not to be in such 
haste again, to condemn in similar cases any one, who is by 
intellect and heart my superior. 

Whether Mr. A., continued to wear his hat or not, on 
account of his grandfather's or grandmother's request, 
as being of equal validity with the laws of God given 
unto us on Mt. Sinai, does not interfere with the aim the 
author has in view. 

Reader, imagine not that I meant to say, that wise and 
pious men cannot fail or err. That would be a decidedly 
wrong inference ; at the same time think not that you are 
faultless yourselves! Never overrate the purity of your 
own heart, so that the word of the prophet, Pro v. c. 30 : 

" A generation, clean in its own imagination only, whose 
filth is not yet washed away," may not be to your own 
condition. While we deem ourselves to be infallible and 
correct in our own opinion, we are ever ready to observe 
the actions of others with a most satirical eye. It is a 
real shame that we should censure so wantonly the actions 
of our spiritual leaders when, though in accordance with 
the law of God, they are found at variance with our own 
adopted rules and notions. The followers of" Descartes" 
who held the opinion, that they were uncertain of every 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 57 

thing except their own existence and the operations of 
their own minds were called " Egotists," and we find to- 
day a great many Egotists, who challenge every thing not 
exactly corroborated by their own ideas. We find plenty 
of co-religionists pursuing a Rabbi of a congregation, 
even in these modern times, for the re-establishing of the 
old biblical law. Is it necessary to say and to prove, that 
the law of God only required of us to keep holy : 

a, The 1st and 7th day of Passover. 

5, The 1st day of Pentecost. 

c, The 1st day of New Year. 

d, The 1st and 7th day of Tabernacles. 

<?, The 8th (the 22d of Tishry, called Shemini Azereth.) 
/", and one day Iom-Kippur. (Atonement.) 
If there are numbers of men keeping holy as many more 
days, as they can possibly wish to, is such action on their 
part necessarily a dogma to all ? Or should they be ego- 
tistical enough to say: It shall be so, and not otherwise? 
It shall and must be that the law of men shall be superior 
to the laws of God ! This class of fanatics, egotists, etc., 
had better not condemn a man for keeping to the plain 
and unaltered word of the Bible. 

The biblical law in reference to the above-named Feasts 
and Holy-days is, by the plainness of the wording, so easy 
to comprehend that we shall confine ourselves to the mere 
recitation of the word itself: 

The holy Scripture commands us to celebrate but one 
day of New Year, by the word: 

nw t£Hp x~\?o t^inS in^n <y*n^n Knnn 

" And in the seventh months, on the first day shall be a 
holy convocation, not any servile labor shall be done ;" 
Concerning the feast of Tabernacle it reads again : 

rrDDn an tun y>2wr\ Enr6 pv iw ntPDra 
unp *npo pwtnn ova : »b p!»a* nyntp 

grip x-\\>n s xmr\ am ,»i naw innpn 



58 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

On the fifteenth day of the seventh months shall be the 
feast of Tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. On 
the "first day shall be a holy convocation, no servile 
works shall be clone ; seven days you shall make an offer- 
ing by fire unto the Lord." 

As regards the eighth clay, the twenty-second of Tishry 
(the seventh months) it continues to say : 

" On the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto 
you, no servile work shall be done." 

It reads in a similar way, and with the same legal intent 
as regards the feast of unleaven Bread (Passover) and the 
day of Pentecost. The reasons for our keeping two days 
is simply this: Several thousand years ago the Judiciary 
(Vl mi) °^ Judah sat at Jerusalem in order to observe 
the exact rising of the new moon. It required two men to 
watch for the very minute of her appearance. Having 
thus caught the very first glimpse of the moon, immediate 
report was to be made to the Beth-Din (Judiciary). On 
the hills about the city, signal-fires were lit, visible from 
the surrounding country, for the purpose of communica- 
ting the news to the more remote parts of the country. All 
this was done to enable the Israelites to celebrate the holy 
festivals according to the very word of the law. 

Exiles, as our forefathers were afterwards, scattered all 
over Europe, far away from Kenan, deprived of the accus- 
tomed rapid communication, they were partly left in doubt, 
as to which was the very first day of the months ; and in 
order to abide by the law of God they adopted two days 
instead of one, a praiseworthy and practicable resolution 
on the part of a nation zealous to fulfil the commands of 
the Lord. And up to this date some will still adhere to 
this venerable old relic, since astronomy has taken its stand 
amongst the various branches of science. The hoodwink is 
fallen ! the eye is unbandaged ! The almanac can be ar- 
ranged to tell us the approaching instant of the new moon 
of any desired period of the vast future bef#re us. We 
can, with the aid of astronomical instruments, summon 
the most remote stars to draw near us, so that we may by 
calculating — based on their distance and motion — foretell 
the very minute of their appearance to the earth. Wisdom 
has taken the lead ! doubt is removed, and as far as astron- 
omy is known, does that science rule here as everywhere 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 59 

else in the civilized world. Owing to the facilities for 
obtaining dispatches quickly, the inhabitants of the holy 
land never kept but one day as a holy-day, and do so yet. 
Verily our brethren in the orient kept and keep one day 
devoted wholly to God ! Could we only say as much for 
our co-religionists upon the American soil, this western 
hemisphere. In spite of liberty, in spite of astronomical 
progress, in spite of pecuniary improvements in our cir- 
cumstances, we omit to devote one day even as the day of 
the Lord. And why is this so ? The worshippers of " Mam- 
mon " and the sworn enemies of poverty both alike say : 
" As we are, according to European custom, obliged to cele- 
brate two days, must it be sinful to keep but one day holy, 
yet two days are too much of the 4 good,' and our business 
suffers too severely thereby." 

Ignorance goes on to &&y in its own consoling wa} r : 
whereas it is a sin, against the command of the Bible, to 
keep holy less than two days, which we hold to be incom- 
patible with our living and " making a living," etc., etc., 
therefore, be it resolved to throw the observance of either 
day overboard ! And, as we have seen : away goes the 
kernel and the shell. 

Reader, I truly wish to see that time when Israel's chil- 
dren of this great America, the Kenaanof so many thou- 
sands of the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, shall have 
re-established that "one clay" of the biblical law; and not 
until then will the Rabbies, who defend this cause so 
warmly, be left alone ; not until then will ignorance and 
arrogance cease to condemn with such marked alacrity all 
those who are in favor of removing the 2d day of the 
festivals in a time like ours. 



^omh'z (j^ontmtion with our t£e$nl %tzithvz. 

I am sorry to observe and compelled to say, that it is a 
striking feature of our nation especially to find fault with 
their Rabbies, to criticise their actions, and to watch their 
steps, with an almost mistrustful eagerness ; the same with 
their teachers and all of their people superior to them. I 
have often felt like taking aside this or any other imperti- 
nent fellow-being and asking him his motive for pursuing 



60 THE VOICE OF truth; or 

his divine teacher so unwarrantably ! Yes, I have been 
more than once tempted to ask him : tl Wherefore have 
you a Rabbi? Is your Rabbi hired to do as you wish 
him to do, or are you to be taught and instructed by him ? 
Or have you hired him merely for the simple reason: that 
other denominations have a preacher too." 

Or do you deem yourself more wise, a man of deeper 
learning and scientific knowledge than him, to have and to 
keep him in office in order to make your intellectual 
grandeur more striking by contrasting its brilliancy with 
his inferiority ! It must look like something of the kind ; 
and if such is your motive I pity the haunted Rabbi in spite 
of his rich income, and doubly sympathize with the teachers 
of Israel for their meager salaries and their irksome calling, 
which do by no means atone for the prejudice and the 
malignant tongue of their wanton employers. 

Let us consider this matter in its real light. We ques- 
tion not, that without our man of divine or clerical func- 
tion Judaism would cease making any progress, it would 
soon become obliterated for we would have no one to go to 
for advice on religious matters, and the youth would not 
have the so necessary schooling, and Judaism would most 
surely fall into oblivion. We should soon fall into 
errors ; we should be like a hive of bees without a queen, 
like a line of soldiers without a commanding officer, like a 
flock of sheep without a shepherd, like litigants without a 
legal adviser. We should soon feel the edge of preju- 
dice cutting deep gashes into our very existence for the 
lack of noble and wise defenders of Judaism and the holy 
rights of its followers. We should individually disagree 
with ourselves, and should look for an arbiter and find 
none. 

We had better learn to appreciate the position such a 
Rabbi fills, and speak reverentially of his words, and look 
forbearingly upon his faults, as he is our adviser and the 
person whose decision is a final one 

ist- cr6 en fqt 

2d. pfo p-| n 
As regards : 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 61 

1st. The question of blood. 

2d. Of dinim. 

3d. Of miscellaneous inconveniences, the reparation of 
which he will certainly see to. 

Take these three cases in the clerical sense of the word 
and define them thus: it is the Rabbi's duty firstly, to ex- 
plain all questions concerning eatables allowed to be con- 
sumed or not to be consumed ; and the laws concerning 
our festivals, the not regarding of which incurs a heavy 
bodily penalty ; secondly, all those law-matters in general, 
not clear to the understanding of parties concerned, and 
thirdly all those ceremonial laws, the carrying out of which 
would actually become injurious to our very life, etc. 

Reader, it is the duty of a congregation to follow the 
words of its divine adviser. 

He is the only person, owing to his sacred office, re- 
sponsible for all he says and devises. 

His sacred' office involves upon him the right of "judg- 
ing," and his opinion is decisive and valid. See Deut. c. 
Hi 

®zw&> nm -pa xb& *o 

" If there is anything incomprehensible to thee, 

nr\r\ D\^n mrr new pawn bx nxm 

Walk up to the judge in thy time. 

lb m* wk nmn v b by nwi 

And do according as he will tell thee." 
And others of our former sages said : 

" Jephtha was in his time equal to Samuel in his time." 
We need therefore not doubt the authority and validity 

of our Rabbies of the present time, provided we doubt not 

their mental ability. 

See the work of the highly learned Rambam, in which 

he says : 

tz)n>:o?n nbx wy k^ o*Mn wyi* in bi 

" All that our sages have done in reference to the expla- 
nation of the law was all done in accordance with the de- 
mands of the times they lived in ;" it was done to form a 
protective wall around the laws of sanctification, the abso- 
lute will of God. 



62 the voice or truth; or 

Reader ! we have to do with the laws of men and of God- 
The former are a " hedge," surrounding the latter, " the 
very garden." 

It is therefore no harm — -nay! it is necessary some- 
times — to pull down in order to rebuild — to beautify and 
to build up a new fence, out of love to the garden. The 
watchman's duty is to keep it under his special care. 

The author of Kizur Kelolim Schelosh-ethry midoth 
speaks thus : 

•pisS o»rjrn rvs^i ♦bS iir^ in Sm xbx 

" The sages and the Talmudist have resolved on many a 
law in order to set a boundary for the people, something 
visible to them, to avoid illusions ; yet without any 
further necessary study on the subject." 



%ht (§nrdmer in the %ard f % garden. 

There were required skilful hands and ingenious minds 
to throw up such a fortifying terrace to protect the u Gar- 
den spot " from the touch of the hands of the profane, 
roaming about, dealing all that is purity and all that is 
calculated to build up a sanctuary, a divine repose for the 
true religion. This master- work which has stood from 
times immemorial, keeping well protected the very law of 
God, had between times to undergo some alterations or 
others, which has been, and is, and will be a right, claimed 
by the builders of the same and their followers, consisting 
of the Rabbies and divine teachers of the present age. 
These are the skilful workmen, the appointed sentinels on 
the walls of the garden. These are the ready hands to 
open the gates by which we can find entrance and admis- 
sion to that sacred ground, called the law of God. It is 
the laymen's duty to gain entrance to work and to till this 
sacred ground themselves. But, reader, while we have 
entered, we will find to our surprise that the land in view 
is not so easy to reach: we often take a broad terrace 
to be the garden itself; but this illusion renders us crafty 
workmen, with ease to design the very point of labor. 

That ceremonial laws form the walls around the laws of 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 63 

God needs, I hope, no further proof. Reader, we are or 
shall be laborers in the Lord's garden; such is our mission, 
our grand calling; and here as in similar cases, is it a 
common rule : Merit and nothing but merit promotes. 

Accomplishments, zeal, good intention, caution, bravery, 
and wisdom, are causes to bring forth those merits which 
we are in common more or less aiming for. 



!§e§gomihiUtg in ^troyortioti to jffift 

The more we are mentally developed, the more responsi- 
ble we are considered. 

So says the prophet Jesaias, c. 30 : 

" The grave is ready for the king, deep and wide." 

Yes, for him, the king of a nation, the head of a people, 
the chosen sample of mankind shall be a distinct and 
grave punishment: a grave, deep and wide! deep in its 
terrors, and wide with its gloomy aspect — if his work does 
not correspond with his ability and standing. Our intel- 
lect should stimulate us to be ever ready to work faith- 
fully in the Lord's garden. 

Wisdom, science, etc., cause many to be proud, to deem 
themselves above the perusing of the contents of the holy 
law and its sacred spirit ; those seem to themselves too 
much advanced in the so-called spirit of the age to read 
the Bible. They sneer at this old and venerable book, and 
laugh at all those who differ with them. They call the 
holy Scripture an out-of-date volume, an exploded story, 
and keep aloof from sounding the eternal words of truth, 
and never serve the Holy One, the King of kings; and 
lastly cause many fickle-minded persons to consort with 
them. Such are the corner-loungers, the idlers upon the 
terrain outside the garden of the Lord. 

We meet a second class of men often taken to be laborers 
in the Lord's garden. These men pray, for instance, with 
the lips, so as to be seen by every body ; but where is the 
heart, the devoted feeling? Far — far — away ! 



64 THE VOICE OE TRUTH ; OR 

And well may we say with Jesaias, c. 44, that " those 
do not return to God with their hearts." 

Their aim is the good opinion of men The opinion of 

the world is the instigating power that cause this class to 
be pious, to keep the commandments and practise right- 
eousness. But the prophet continues saying: 

They do not understand God, nor the great problem of 
his laws, and have become, therefore, the worshippers of 
men ; they have placed themselves far below the real 
idolatorj for, whereas the latter worships in general one 
subjective object — the former idolizes the multitude. 

Reconsider! Serve God, but not man! Ostentation for 
popularity's sake is not real and true devotion to God, 
and adds nothing to the words of praise, gratitude and 
those magic vibrations, which terminate in heavenly rap- 
ture. Read the prophet Jesaias on this saying in c. 25 : 

Orb xhi on ih\>wr\ hdS 

"Why do you weigh silver when it buys no — bread," 
(the real substance of life). 

The means are of no consequence, when they fail to 
compass the real object in view. Religious exercises aud 
performances for appearance sake alone make us culpable 
in the sight of God. 

Again, read Eccl. 10 : 

npn ]ow yy wxy ms >mnr 

" A dead fly causeth the apothecary's ointment to send 
forth a stinking savour." 
Likewise, c. 9 : 

nmn njn& in a 1 -ina kdvti 

" One sinner destroys much of good ; because he carries 
with him whole leagues of men." 

And what is the motive, animating this class of people, 
to show religious colors for public opinion's sake ? It is 
a certain self-interest, a vanity, that causes us sometimes 
to flatter others that we may be flattered in return ; to 
worship men in order to. satisfy our secret but insatiable 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 65 

ambition for praise and position. And in regard to this 
absurdity speaks Solomon, Pro v. 16: 

2b mi Sd n nnnn 

" Every one proud at heart, is an abomination before 
God." 

Pride is the bitterest adversary to real religious prin- 
ciple. Pride causes us to be pious for the sake of popu- 
larity, to give alms for the same reason ; it draws us to 
the altar to give offering: that we may gain the esteem of 
the world, and makes us feel loth to behold the wretched 
condition of the heart, and makes us proclaim ourselves 
" religious." Nay, many are possessed of this vanity, viz.: 
dressing in fine raiment, of having handsome features and 
symmetrical limbs ; but are we ourselves the makers of 
all this ? Is not God the One to whom we ought to bow 
in becoming reverence ? Read Sam. I. c. 2: 

ootid k Vbpb "vewqi 0T2 n 

" He is the Lord who makes rich and poor, low and 
high." 

We also find in Lamentations, c. 3 : 

" Who is he that saith aught, and it comes to pass, when 
the Lord has not ordained it." 

However, such vile offenders against God and his law will 
find ready tongues to excuse their baseness by saying: "this 
or that sinner has transgressed" — such is an undeniable 
fact, but let us connect his waywardness with his " forget- 
fulness !" This, in most cases of transgression and sin, is 
not the case, but the want of understanding God and his 
will are the operating causes. Thorough acquaintance 
begets friendship, intimac} r , and remembrance. Slightly 
known friends have no place in the heart of man and still 
less in the mind, as far as being remembered is concerned. 
We must confess that as long as we know not God and 
comprehend not his will, his wise and useful laws — the 
slight touch of common occurrences does not sufficiently 
impress our minds ; but it is ignorance that is doing all 
the mischief in most cases. We cannot tell about the taste 
of anything unless we have tasted it. The Psalm, c. 34, 
says in connection : 



66 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

n mto o i*ni wo 

" Taste,and you will see how good is God." 

So long as we do not see how good our God is — it is a 

stern truth, that we have not made the necessary attempt, 

the right trial, to test God. 

orsw nwnp no o 

" Their eyes stay shut, to see well." Jos. 44. 
And the prophet Ezekiel, c. 36, says : 

bsri^ n^n b^ima lo^m win 

" Shame be upon you, and censured be your adopted 
ways, House of Israel," formerly destined to be the laborer 
in the Lord's garden ! 



Jfe/aeFjs datthk jffzth, — ^zbb&th. 

It was the intent of the hoty law to set up Israel as a 
distinct and separate nation ; for Israel's mission was to 
be the bearer of the standard upon whose snowy folds 
was imprinted in glittering characters, amongst others of 
commandments : 

v&iph nnwn dv na nst 
Vi »j»ia?n pvm x\ -nnvn d*d* n^ 

" Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy." 
" Thou shalt do in six days thy secular work," etc., but 
"the seventh clay is a rest day, dedicated to the Lord." 

Undoubtedly has Israel of old performed this its part in 
some measure, and nations have learned thereby ; because 
we see that all nations, now-a-days, keep " one day as a day 
of rest." Our day of rest and sanctification shall be the 
seventh one, so ordained and stipulated in the covenant 
between God and Israel, and strictly recommended by 
Moses : 

ai nnt^n na btrw* ^n n&&n 
bV»*? K*n rn» bxiw *:n mi ^n 

" Ye children of Israel, observe the Sabbath-day ; for 
this is a mark of the covenant between me (God) and the 
children of Israel forever." 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 61 

Israel of the present time shows, that it has not for- 
gotten its mission and distinction: to be a people apart, a 
peculiar set, which does not follow after the ways of other 
nations ; — for Israel now-a-days is aware of the fact, that 
it has come to be a law common to all civilized creeds — to 
keep a clay of rest. Our present Israel (thanks to his ad- 
herence to the ordinance "CD^H HIpPO lD^D $b " 
" walk not in the ways of the nations?") keeps, therefore, 
perhaps, no day of rest ! 

Patient reader ! It has thus happened to keep such a 
mere pretext handy for not observing the day of rest ! 
And what shall we say to such vague excuses ? Has 
Israel then lost all its sense of good and evil? What 
has become of our determination to uphold the covenant 
of God and our ancestors ? Shall it be said of Israel — 
the foremost in the rank of nations — that this people has 
become unconscionable enough not to discriminate any 
more between good and bad ? And again, do we not act 
partially toward ourselves ? When we are called to do 
good,— we then screen ourselves behind that fragment of a 
lawD«^n rttpnn oSli ftS; whereas we readily imi- 
tate the ways of sin and corruption. 

Miriam the prophetess and all the women had taken 
timbrels in their hands and sang a song of praise to the 
Lord. (Exodus, c. 15, v. 20, 21.) David performed on 
ever so many melodical instruments while raising his 
heart to the very highest pitch of devotion to God. Solo- 
mon had the temple-service arranged in conformity with 
the will of Moses, who said : " Blow the trumpets on the 
days of solemn festivals and on the new moon," etc. (Num. 
c. 10. v. 10.) Other nations introduced afterwards similar 
instruments into their divine service, because they were 
soon satisfied that this style of worship was apt to buoy up 
the heart and swell the current of solemn thoughts ; to 
transport one's feeling upon the wings of devotion unto 
the throne of God. To accompany the chants and songs 
by sacred melodies has become the style of worship of 
many denominations. Shall this be a reason for up- 
braicim^ ourselves against the introduction of instrumental 
sacred melodies into our divine service ? 

Why do we not hold with all that is tending to good, 
whereas we too often adhere to all that, which is contrary 
to the better purposes ! 



68 

Our ancestors were aware of the weakness of Israel; 
and owing to a certain foreboding the Talmud explains : 

onn nipnn tsbn $h 

Thus : It reads in Ezekiel, c. 2: 

" You have done according to the doctrines of the 
nations around you" — and reward shall follow: 
And c. 5, reads thus : 

" Whereas you have not done like the nations around 
you" — punishment shall follow : 

The prophet advised, and recommended, and fore- 
warned, to act like surrounding nations. — These seem to be 
in contradiction to each other, but — says our Talmudists : 

" You have failed while not doing the commendable, and 
have failed again by following the abominable ways of 
other nations," 

Behold Israel's inconsistency with its marvellous victo- 
ries pro tern ! 

The deplorable inconsistency aforementioned has taken 
a hold upon Judaism and upon its confessors. Making 
and furnishing a fine golden crown to be placed on the top 
of the scroll of the holy Torah is considered a meritorious 
though obligatory act, as having made an offering to God 
directly. Others again build large and magnificient syna- 
gogues, structures in non-pareille at the most extravagant 
expenses. And wherefore such costliness ; why such 
splendor ? Those who are ever ready with an answer will 
say : Such things are done especially upon this soil — the 
soil of freedom and equality — to proclaim our own liberty ; 
such mass of stone shall tell our posterity about the spirit 
of the times we are living in. But sons of Israel ! your 
hand on your heart ! speak confidentially, honorably, in 



THE COMFORTS OP LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 69 

truth, while answering this my question : " Has not that 
splendid edifice ' church' of your neighbor, whom you 
try to imitate, given to you the first instigation to build a 
house of worship, which shall equal his church in beauty 
and st}de, if not excel it ?" — Say u no !" and I will modestly 
and satisfied abandon this my suggestion. Are we not 
kindred of those people of ancient times who said : 

nPMi cwn warn bnaa\ tjt vb m:u vzn 

" Let us devise to build a city, and a high tower whose 
summit shall reach up to heaven, so that we may elevate 
our name, our reputation^' (Genesis, c. 11. v. 4.) Behold 
the issue of pride ! If only this tower stretches forth 
towards heaven it is flattering enough to our own imagi- 
nation. But does such an act of vanity excuse us in re- 
maining below, far below the recognition of God, the 
Father of Heaven '? 

Our tower is our reputation ; the erection of large and 
costly edifices gives us a name. The Egyptians too built 
the most renowned structures in times of the most de- 
plorable state of idolatry. 

Their structures of the past stretch forth into the 
present and celebrate the name and fame of Egyptian skill. 
But was " religion" the true cause of the erection of those 
temples of }^ore ? Is u serving God" the sole purpose of 
the builders of our gorgeous synagogues ? I am afraid 
that the right spirit in' which to build, is entirely wanting ; 
and besides this the enormous taxation, by which means 
alone we are enabled to erect such costly temples, causes 
us to neglect the poor and needy ; it causes charity to de- 
crease if not altogether to cease, while pride and vanity 
build towers up to heaven, strong — names and brick — 
reputations, not worthy to be compared to. the spiritual 
ladder of Jacob's dream! See tract. Jerushalmy — She- 
kolim, Art. 5 : 

yh^pn nn nm nswin vm al^n nn K&n an 
no« 1 ]^d finnn« w?& yisn nm : rtwtn 

Rabbi Chome and Rabbi Hoseah inspected once a 



TO THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

synagogue of Lydias. Viewing the splendor and gran- 
deur of the building, Chome exclaimed : " Hoseah ! what a 
vast sum of money has been sunk by our forefathers into 
this ground!" upon which Hoseah replied: u No, you 
should have said : how many ' lives' have they sunk in 
these depths ;" for the money thereby withheld from the 
poor could have forever improved their wretched circum- 
stances, had it been properly employed. 

See again what the prophet Hosea says, c. 8 : 

mbrjrn pn rww- na S*rw ram 

" Israel has forgotten God and builds temples." 
We also find in Jilcot-melochim, 186 : 

iSan th hv ii&d onns «in inn tynpn 
k^i t^ipon rvn nin 1 ? ddi nn? vdhp 
vrw nnn »do b":y rioin^ dk^i 

" God became angry with King David for having pre- 
pared himself with gold and silver to build the Temple, and 
not having spent it to support the needy in the time of 
famine ;" and consequently he was forbidden to build this 
edifice, the ideal of his ambition. When we imitate other 
denominations in the building of fine temples we ought 
like them, to keep one day as a day of rest. Reader, 
through the defence of the seventh .day as a rest day, by a 
strict adhesion to this covenant, we would more loudly pro- 
claim our nationality, our fame, and name, than temples and 
towers can ever do. This covenant was the first one 
established between God and Israel, when our liberation 
from Egyptian tyranny was known to us in our own " camp" 
and to the idolatrous nations of the East. Keeping our 
Sabbath holy, would plainly show us worthy of freedom 
and our holy mission : to teach people forever, that there 
is a Spirit, a God, a Unit ! And we here in America — ■ 
thrown upon this continent by the hazards of life, of the 
maintenance of our bodily existence — we ought not to forget 
that we could make ourselves a reputation, fame, and name 
from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and from the icy regions 
of the North to the far off South pole. Israel sinneth 
here surely not in walking in the ways of nations by keep- 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 11 

ing one day of rest, in keeping that Sabbath holy and 
sanctified to the Lord. 



I know well enough that the idol " money, Mammon," 
upbraids our hearts and bewilders our minds with his 
enticing whisper and threatening fears. And we say, to 
lose time and trade would be impossible for us as citizens 
of this country. Well spoken : but will an}' such excuses 
of ourselves stand the test ? If a man, a high officer of the 
state, should make the request of us (who are ever made to 
starve, because of keeping the Sabbath !) to pay him one 
day of each week a visit and to stay with him all day, we 
would not neglect pa} 7 ing our respects for the sake of the 
distinction, the name, the occupation, we should gain ; be- 
sides all this we should feel confident, that our august 
friend would certainly repay us for the loss of our time, 
and make reparation for all the outside losses incurred by 
our compliance with his request. As regards the request 
of the King of kings, who is above time and without limits, 
unbounded in his government, and his decree handed 
down to us to govern ourselves by, we are tardy in rally- 
ing to our banner. Why? Do we possibly know Him? 
are we fully convinced that to Him is the power and the 
glory, mercy and charity ? Do we fully understand with 
the Psalmist in his c. 145 : 

Ywa Sd by rarrn hih * ma 

" How good and merciful is God towards all of his works." 
If we are convinced of this, why do we mourn ? exclaim- 
ing forever in a most despairing manner: 

f'rowa nu\ biw no 

" What shall we eat, and what shall we drink?" 
What has become of our wonted confidence in him of 
whom we read in Exodus, c. 23 : 

r\m *pr6 na -pm nr^nSx n na brprnri 
■pipD nbno rirvorn td h d 

" If thou servest the Eternal thy God, he will bless thy 
bread and thy water and keep distant from thee all evil." 

4 



t2 THE VOICE OP TRUTH ; OR 

We have engendered a misunderstanding in our relation 
towards God and became estranged from the real religion. 
Such is the sad state of affairs ; 

vwro jn p"!8.n ^ ~w o 

" For the thoughts of the hearts of men are base ever 
since his infancy." 

Weakness of the heart has fostered natural passions ; the 
mind being still in its infancy, has been led away by the 
all overruling desire: "material achievements." 



<lgloneg gnvohtn §ime. 

All men are more or less occupied with "material 
achievements." Reader, please to follow me in defining 
this phrase and let us look upon both sides of the ques- 
tion. Many of us resemble that poor school teacher waose 
story I will lay before you. This poor man had an oppor- 
tunity offered him to make a living, by taking charge of a 
school. The school committee cited this man to appear 
before them, and to give an account of himself and of the 
great plan that he proposed. to carry into execution. The 
schoolman, in his anxiety to please the committee of 
school directors, got up a list of studies comprising 
twenty-five different branches, and allowed one hour daily 
for each branch. Excuse this school teacher for a slight 
oversight ; — for quite elated at having obtained a position 
at last, he promised to do all he could and to teach all he 
knew, that he might not incur the displeasure of any mem- 
ber of the committee. And he was too well satisfied that a 
wind from somewheres blowing resounded : " material 
achievement." The school committee — delighted at having 
obtained a man of such skill and endurance, and willing- 
ness to teach daily twent} r -five different branches of 
science, and ready to devote to every branch one hour — 
agreed to install our hero in the position ; but it seemed 
to puzzle them, to know how he could manage to teach 
daily twenty-five hours. They resolved to ask the over- 
joyous pedagogue for the solution of this enigma. That 
is easy to do, cried the over-anxious teacher : I rise daily 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 73 

one hour before day and commence teaching. The com- 
mittee was satisfied and more so the poor man. 

I will venture to say, that most of us are working twenty- 
five hours daily for the accumulation of a financial, a 
worclly fortune. Yes, like the school teacher we get up an 
hour before day too, and look upon that which we have 
thus amassed as the work of our own hands. Is it not 
very strange to behold how every little impediment, every 
little interference with our plans is deemed a great ob- 
stacle ? and we cease to wonder at many who consider the 
observance of the Sabbath (the 1th day of the week) a 
hard and vexatious law. " Material achievement," this is 
a very significant word, and it is not correctly understood 
by everybody. When we take the various performances 
of actions as the means of defining it, we must admit that 
we find ourselves embarrassed and perplexed by numerous 
conflicting ideas as impediments to the spiritual aim we 
have in view. The general drift of ideas needs a guide 
even in our day, in order to show us, how gross are the 
errors into which we often fall. Man, with thy immortal 
soul ! is earth thy heaven ? is financial abundance thy 
heavenly compensation? I see thee working twenty-five 
hours a day pursuing thy earthly occupation, to obtain the 
realization of thy wordly wishes, the climax of thy eccle- 
siastical dreams. 



ffe gfcrM mtd (he ggiwM to tame. 

Know that this world is a mere place of tribulation and 
vexation, a place of uncertainty, a prison, and that we 
are the prisoners. The soul is here in unwonted bondage, 
and finds respite in prayer. Read Psalm 79. 

tpk np3x tjqS Kin 

" that there may come before thee the sighs of the 
chained." 

P^ead again, Psalm 112: 

" Lead my soul out of prison." 
Also, read Psalm 144 : 



74 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

" Men resemble a Nothing, their days are like the pass- 
ing shadow." 

See this world in its true light — and still we toil in it 
forever to accumulate riches, as if a " beyond " were 
entirely out of the question ; not being aware that our 
own lives, our own souls, our entire dignity, is endangered 
bj^this epidemic disease: "the craving for the comforts of 
this world exclusively." 

We find in Eccl. c. 9 : 

-not? ntw iwown nnn wan nb^n nyi w 

" Riches causeth the evil of its possessors, it is thus, a 
bad sickness I have noticed." 

Wealth has become the ignis fatuus (Will-with-the- 
wisp), which leads us step by step further off from the 
path of genuine happiness which can only be found by the 
laborers in the garden of God. These faithful working 
men have a different opinion from the mass of people in 
regard to the meaning of material achievements. And for 
the sake of the real welfare of mankind let us try, with the 
assistance of the holy Scripture, to lift this heavy veil 
from the "world to come," so that we can gain a partial 
view, and act here on earth different altogether from our 
former course. 

In Eccl. c. 12, it reads as follows: 

n edk ma s& abn bD 

"For God shall bring everjr work into judgment with 
every secret thing; whether it be good, or whether it be 
evil." 

As for the evil deeds and the punishment which will 
follow, read Jesaias, c. 66 : 

*3 va CDwian EDWjan naan urn wjn 
nnon kS Dtswi rnon ub ony^iri 

" And they will go out and see the corpse of those who 
have transgressed against me ; their worm shall not die, 
and their fire shall not be quenched." 

Also Daniel speaks in c. 12 : 



THE COMPORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 75 

nStfi D*?ty "nb nbtf .wp nay w^o esaU 

rrijnnfo 

"And many of the sleepers in the dust will be awaked; 
these ones for the world to come, and others for eternal 
shame." 

Jesaias speaks in c. 58 : 

*pDW n TOD 7p-re 10D 1 ? l^ni 

" Thy righteousness will advance thee; the glory of God 
mayest thou gather." 
In Psalm 31 read: 

~pmh raw -tm "piD m ra 

" How much is there of the good thou hast reserved for 
these, who fear thee !" 

It has always been a matter of impossibility to describe 
the pleasures of the " world to come " which are ever 
ready and awaiting the souls of the righteous, as we can- 
not describe and define "soul" sufficiently to know it. — ■ 
As much as the body is natural, so much is the soul super- 
natural ; the body is dissoluble, the soul indissoluble ; the 
first changeable, the last unchangeable and immortal. That 
is all we know about the soul, and we may say with Jesaias, 
c. 64, that : 

ib ronoS row inbit D»nb« nnxn xb fv 

" No eye has ever seen it but God alone, what awaits 
those who set their hopes upon him." 

However, we may be assured, providing we believe and 
confide in the Almighty God, that those pleasures which 
await the souls of the pious must be grand, sublime, and 
infinite. After having thus compared the world to come 
with the present one — we should find it very easy to choose 
and to decide, consequently to purify that heart of ours, 
which heretofore has been bent on mischief and baseness. 

Opposite to material achievements stands eternal hap- 
piness. It is true, that to act rightly requires of us some 
sacrifices on our part, to leave off so many bad habits 
which have almost become incorporated into our existence. 
. — But only that patient, who is wise enough not to hesitate 
in having amputated the injured member of his body in 
order to safe his life, is the one who has adopted the alter- 
native between vigor and health, and lingering death. 



76 THE VOICE OP TRUTH; OR 

We generally take great care to preserve our body;— 
why not then once a week do something that will con- 
duce to the welfare of our soul ! Alas ! for theory and 
practice are in opposition to each other ; all kinds of machi- 
nations are employed to aggrandize the hoard of wealth ; 
happiness takes the background ; financial, pecuniary 
achievements are erroneously taken to be material ones ; 
the sanctification of the seventh day is rejected ; the soul's 
bliss set adrift. Our sensual pleasures have become the 
motives of our actions, and our bodily comforts the modern 
" Molach " to whom Israelites tender their entire attention 
and every minute of their life. 

Yet the everlasting truth tireth not of raising its magic 
finger to beckon us to reform, to overcome all the prompt- 
ings of an ill-regulated heart, to walk in a path widely 
different from the ways, that have led us to the verge of 
destruction. 

Summons (a ^ction. 

Notice well, reader, that we are summoned to actions 
promoting our happiness ! 

Although we have advocated the study and planted the 
banner of science as the first thing necessary to know how 
to act rightly, in order the more easy to respond to the 
duties of an existence as man, emanated from the Spirit 
of God — be it here repeated that action must be the true 
associate of knowledge. Heart and mind thus connected 
are bound to bring forth a third medium : the right spirit. 
This trio is absolutely necessary for our own preservation. 

As regards knowledge without deeds, see Pirke Abboth: 

nmn ntwn wn ypn 

" Say little — act more." 

" Not the study, but the action is the main agent " in 
forwarding our happiness. 

As "action" is the issue of the heart, and the "mode" of 
acting the issue of the intellect, both in conjunction will 
evince the presence of the right spirit. In order to let it 
become operative let us therefore firstly, purge our hearts, 
remove all the obstacles, and reject the diverse tempta- 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. T? 

tions, "called Satan," which beset our hearts, and have 
hurried them into the whirlpool of low passions and obsti- 
nate propensities, averse to purity and unfriendly to holi- 
ness. There have been laid down many ceremonial laws 
which, rightly understood, may aid us in promoting the 
right spirit, " the final medium," the result in the full accom- 
plishment of religious success. The Mesusah at our door 
post, f. %, shall be a mark to refresh our memory in respect 
of our doings, both, in and out of doors. Still we have 
heard often that the " Mesusah" will keep the Satan or the 
bad Spirit, as it is commonly called, outside of our rooms. 
People of such an opinion regard the Mesusah as a pro- 
tective power, a guardian, a Demi-god, without which 
they are not satisfied, not content ; they actually worship, 
they flatter, they kiss this Mesusah which is only the sen- 
tinel at the door. But behold, while caressing thus the 
" Mesusah," this favorite guard at his post — the inmates 
of this well-guarded house play the hypocrite ; they carry 
that which is contraband underneath their garments, 
inside their hearts, beyond the " line," and keep it there 
in spite of the " Mesusah." While harboring the Satan, 
they idolize the Mesusah in spite of that All-seeing Eye, 
which never slumbers, never sleeps, and- lays all our deeds 
in the scale of justice ; that true God ! who is not seen 
and seldom understood by us, the children of Israel ! 



$wn §forg. 



Excuse me reader, for coming forward again with a 
little story in order to illustrate my words, sometimes a 
very good way to be readily understood. Mr. Saphir, a 
Jew, while young, was engaged by the Emperor of Austria 
to enliven the palace of the monarch with his ever ready 
wit. The star of his fortune shone brightly. Having 
made himself a special favorite of the emperor, he soon 
became a duly qualified minister at the imperial court, 
subsequent to his abjuring the Jewish and embracing the 
Catholic faith. Alas ; how uncertain is the grace of 
monarchs ! how changeable are friends in high circles ! 
Saphir was ordered to surrender his official dignity and 
office to some other favorite of the emperor. This 



78 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

was an unexpected turn of affairs, and very unwelcome 
news to him; still he acquiesced in his fate. He visited 
then the court of the King of Prussia, as an ex-omcer of 
Austria and, during his prolonged visit ingratiated him- 
self by means of his ready wit into the favor of the king, 
a Protestant. Saphir professed Protestantism, and saw 
himself a minister at the court of Prussia. 

Some time elapsed and the emperor of Austria wished 
his Saphir back again, to fill with his merry words and wit 
the still apartments of the formerly so lively palace. A 
general of high military renown had ever since filled the 
office of minister, formerly belonging to Saphir. The em- 
peror called on Saphir — and he was very willing to leave 
Berlin for Yienna. A friendly reception and a grand din- 
ner, at which all the ministers of the imperial court were 
present was given, in honor of the emperor's old favorite. 
The general, successor to Saphir in the ministerial office, 
was rather afraid of being outdone by Saphir and waited 
eagerly for a chance, to revenge himself for the humiliation 
which the loss of his position gave him. While discussing 
the wine, the emperor called upon S. for some of his ac- 
customed witty rallies on almost any subject S. quite 

readily responded — all the party applauded and gave three 
cheers for the emperor, three cheers for the jester, and 
three cheers for the minister and welcome favorite. The 
general's turn came. — I must step in, thought he to him- 
self; I must smite Saphir now or I shall be crushed 
myself. The jealous and embittered general rose and 
asked Saphir in quite a jocular way, why he, S. had in so 
short a time changed his religion three times ? — would he 
be pleased to explain his motive for the course he had 
adopted ? Saphir rose, — the general took his seat, smiling 
at heart, thinking he had completely embarrassed Saphir. 
Taking it as a merry jest, S. commenced to defend his 
course of action in regard to religious principles as 
follows : 

Having been born and raised in the faith of my father, 
a Jew, I expressed when a boy of about eleven years of 
age a desire to go with my father to the synagogue. I 
was taken there and told, to pray then and there to God. 

Father, said I, after we got home again, I prayed as 
you told me, but I have seen no God ! Never mind, re- 



THE COMFORTS OE LITE AND THEIR REVERSES. 79 

joined my father, we Jews see not God, but he sees us ; 
so yon pray ! I got older and not liking the idea of praying 
to some one who sees but cannot be seen in return — I 
abandoned my Jewish faith and turned a Catholic. I went 
to church and I beheld a group of pictures. What means 
this ? I asked. Some friendly disposed men said : this 
elderly looking picture is God ; the smaller and younger 
looking one is his Son Jesus. And who is that lady ? — . 
The mother of Jesus ! was the prompt reply. how I 
liked this. I could see God, his Son and the agreeable 
looking mother of Jesus. I prayed quite fervently ; I told 
them of my wishes and desires. I praised their high and 
unlimited qualities. I gave thanks for all that I had 
heretofore received. I prayed for strength and persever- 
ance to walk in the path of piety. I pfayed for a continu- 
ance of providential kindness in my own and my fellow 
man's behalf. But could I describe my surprise after 
having been taught in the Jewish faith, that God would 
readily listen to a heartfelt prayer, I found that in spite 
of all my devotedness I had not moved the heart of this 
divine family — nay, not even had I attracted their 
slightest attention ! For my pious frenzied desire to be 
listened to — I moved nearer to the godly family and 
behold! imagine my terror!— I was dumbfounded, horror- 
stricken ! for this God and his family could not see nor 
hear me, yet I saw them all. Disused, I took another 
chance ; I turned Protestant, for, spake I to myself, I 
shall find in the Protestant church a God, who cannot see 
and cannot be seen in return. Here ends my story. 

Reader, I am holding up this story as a -mirror before 
your e3 T es ; we may see therein our own deplorable condi- 
tion : " The impulse of religion hast lost its nerve." It 
is true we pray, (call it so !) but not having God at heart ; 
and consequently the right spirit, the animating power, is 
wanting. Habit prompts persons to clothe themselves daily 
in Zizith and Tefillin and place the Mesusahs on the doors. 
While acting thus they kiss the Zizith, press the Tefillin to 
their mouths and idolize them. See, habit is powerful, 
hearts are corrupt — and consequently those idols of habit 
bear the praise but see it not; whereas God again is left 
entirely out of the question. There is another class again, 
who console themselves differently : they do not pray at 

4* 



80 TEE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

all they wish not to see God, nor do they care to be seen, 
and readily throw moral and ceremonial law overboard. 
Howsoever, each of these three distinct classes of would- 
be- Jews say readily, I am a Jewl for they hate to give 
up. 

§he §cmiiiful 4$irm. 

"Jew" used to be the name of a strong, honored, and 
ancient family. But as for the present time a " name" 
without the fame, a " firm" without the " ready means" 
avail not much. A firm without capital is rather unim- 
portant — nay, it is a perfect nuisance to the commercial 
community and a burden to itself. — God can certainly not 
be taken in by a handsome outdoors sign, as he certainly 
knows the wretched condition of an insolvent and ruined 
business firm. But for all this we still cling to and boast 
on the style and the name of this anpent compagnie 
"Jews;" for like others ^"IJjC^ yy }y? POH3 we are 
building congregations and corporations and increase their 
membership — at the head of which is a president. 

And such society's heading bears a heavenly name. 
And why not ? as we always are and have been apt to 
imitate. Because God is called ggiflrHn H& (" Father 
of mercy,") we quickly style our society: C'jOm *3H 
(merciful children ;) God is the "Father of Israel" — we 
style our congregation: "children of Israel;" but what 
can be the further object of such a list of heaven-like firms ? 
This is plain to be seen : 

" We want to get up for ourselves a name." For what 
purpose ? 

vn«n bD ^d hy ris^ \n 

We might get severed from the earth, and therefore we 
are laying up a dollar or two to defray as members of such 
incorporated society our funeral expenses, and secure a 
widow's and orphan's dowry ; and still we call such a firm 
" children of mercy." Would it not be more proper to style 
it a " Mutual Life Insurance Company?" The first "head- 



THE COMFORTS OP LIFE AND THETR REVERSES. 81 

ing" is the prettiest, still it is a spurious name, a real counter- 
feit, for where is the mercy when to none but members is 
the expected and paid for help furnished? No initiates 
receive no benefits ; even those unfortunate enough to be 
in arrears with their dues for a certain time, have lost 
their rights and privileges in this institution of the " mer- 
ciful children." 

Besides these societies there are others existing; their 
object is to act benevolently, and charity is the maxim of 
their existence. The one is styled "|pn fVlv'JM nmn 

"Charity" Society, another >H9 *£)^ "HPI "Society of 
Consolation by deeds and words of kindness " is the mean- 
ing of the Hebrew style. But woe to the needy man 
or woman compelled by the extreme of poverty, to call on 
societies with such beautiful and sweet sounding names. 
The aid-seeking applicant may not happen to meet the 
president at all, and the assistant, not knowing the poor 
man's story, speaks abruptly, insultingly ; (for it is not to 
be expected there, that a poor man can be poor yet proud, 
destitute of money, yet of refined feeling ;) and commences 
to search and investigate the causes of his present wants ; 
reproaches him for not having been successful enough to 
avert the fiend poverty. The trembling wretch has to 
" take it " if he wishes to receive the bitter penny called 
" charity or consolation." Hardly in possession of the 
donation he hastens away, wondering how such institutes 
of torture and inquisition can style themselves " charity 
and consolation, or comforting societies !" 

We doubt not that all such benevolent societies have 
been called into existence for a very good purpose; but 
nevertheless it is a sad fact, that the pious object in view 
in too many instances, has become lost by the deplorable 
character their affairs have assumed through the conduct 
of the officers of such charitable institutions. These officials 
ought to understand and to use kindness, forbearance, 
ready advice, benignant smiles, and such like little traits, 
so well becoming to the distributers of beneficial funds ; 
they also ought to know that a friendly word is sometimes 
calculated to mitigate the most poignant sufferings of the 
poor. Cruelty, abuse, rough language and haughtiness 
cause the " Rock " to melt, make the gates of perdition 
tremble. And how bitter are they to the destitute man, to 



82 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

whom meekness has been taught by the stern teacher 
" poverty," — and whose feelings, chafed by want, are 
therefore more sensitive and more easily wounded. 
And very justly remarked our sages in Pirke-aboth: 

oWS phn V? j\* Q*:m ran >jd ^aSam 

" Tie, who puts his neighbor to shame in public, has no 
share in the future world." 

You are very justifiable in disliking poverty as a com- 
panion, but the poor man is nevertheless your neighbor. 
We ought to be cautious in what manner we bestow alms, 
for the right manner of bestowing alms is of more import- 
ance than the amount we " give." We must use in our 
charitable actions that discrimination in reference to which 
our sages said: 

" Be he blessed who understands to assist the poor." 
We may readily come to the conclusion that it is better to 
give no alms, than to give without using discrimination 
and without appropriate language. see Reader, even 
in this instance knowledge taking again the precedence. 



j§, mid $*n ffuig wi flu (^onseqnencez. 

No action is called a deed of piety unless prompted by 
the heart and fully comprehended ; therefore no man can be 
called "pious" unless wisdom is the foundation of the 
motives of his piety. 

Call not Mr. E. a pious man because he prays much 
and for a great length of time, or because he submits his 
body to chastisements of various kinds, and moves " to 
and fro" like the pendulum of a clock, or clothes himself 
in ancient garments commonly worn even }^et in Morocco 
or in any part of the globe. 

For Mr. E. may do all this for the very reason, that he 
desires to be seen and esteemed by men of the present age. 
What would you call then Mr. E., he himself rejecting 
and condemning the course of Mr. E., sets freely aside 
all those, having a touch or the least tinge of religion. — 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 83 

He acts thus in order to gain the imaginary esteem of the 
present age ; and we find that a vacuum is all his reward. 
Mr. E. and Mr. F. both are speculating with religion in 
order to gain money, office or reputation thereby. 



Two of such extremists in religion like E. and F. visited 
California, and having subsequently met each other, they 
naturally inquired into the success of each others opera- 
tion. 

The first individual complained of finding his anticipa- 
tions so badly founded, his hopes so poorly realized. 

Is it possible to realize your expectations, " money," by 
yom modus operandi ? I don't wonder that you find your- 
self foiled in all your expectation. You are too much an 
antiquarian; cut your garment according to your cloth. 
This country keeps f. i. the Sabbath day holy when there 
is nothing else to do on hand, or when the Sabbath hap- 
pens to be on a Christian holiday, and not until then do 
you see the people congregating at their respective syna- 
gogues. — Kosher meat is always plentiful, for not the 
" Schochet" but the butcher decides this sanitary question. 
The first in many cases being nothing but a mere tool 
in the butcher's power — woe to him and to his wife and 
children in case he should declare the beef " condemned" 
or " terifah." His official position is always at stake. 

You must learn how to flatter people, especially moneyed 
men, and the title " doctor" or " reverend" will be an 
appendix to your name. This all-protecting sentinel must 
be engraved upon the door of your house on a silver 
plated mounting, and financial affluence with certainly fill 
the " doctor's" pocket. Such a deceitful plan you will find 
more effectual in fulfilling King David's words in Psalm 
120. v. 3: 

nw jwS lb bv r\D^ i? jrr no 

" O how much will be given and how much will it in- 
crease through the tono-ue of deceit." 

Reader, without any fear of men I do say, that there 
are such divine officials as before mentioned. Let us be- 



84 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

wr^e though of such harlots on the highway of religion, 
who try by the flattery of their lips to make us yield. 
Let us not fail to comprehend the meaning of the verse in 
Prov. 1 : f 

" She (harlot) has cast down many wounded, and slain 
many strong men ;" thus they cannot beguile our hearts. 

glie §e<trts of M*n- 

The heart is originally pure, innocent and always the 
channel of life. To guard it carefully against any tempta- 
tion is our duty. See how King Solomon in Proverb 4, 
implores us to mind, while saying : 

D»n rostfin ubd o mS n-n idpd bio 

u Guard thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the 
issues of life." 

And in connection with this says our Talmudist. 

n?n xzb worn 

" Our merciful God demands but a pure heart." 
The above words of the various Scripture verses demon- 
strate fully that, when the heart is pure, the intention of 
the same must be good and ready to sow broadcast the 
true religion. Many unlooked for causes may arise to in- 
terfere with the pure intentions of the heart and hinder it 
from accomplishing its godly task ; but God will in this 
instance never ignore the good intent, and will consider it 
a matter deserving compensation. 

Read in reference to this the Prophet Malachi, c. 3 : 

yotpn n nppp inn hx bwk n \rv mis w 

i#p ut^nSi n wh v:dS i^dt hdd 2ny<\ 

" They that feared the Lord spake often one to another ; 
and the Lord hearkened and heard it : and a book of re- 
membrance was written before him concerning them that 
feared the Lord and thought upon his name." 

And the comment of the prophet's expression " that 
thought upon his name" reads thus : 

oman rvra nwyS yvn iS'Qtf :io^ 'n^inVi 
lrwiVtfinu-Dn vbt ibvQ in^y *6i 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 85 

"Any person intending to do a lawful act and has 
entered upon bis duty — }^et by circumstances forced to 
leave off — will be considered as having fully accomplished 
such action," 

We may therefore justly infer that any deed, not ema- 
nating from the heart, is abject, therefore without merit: 
for falsehood and dissimulation are the movers of these ap- 
parently pious operations. King David, having been of the 
same opinion, speaks in c. T8: 

"And they have spoken with their mouth and their 
lips, yet acted falsely to him, for their heart was uncon- 
cerned." 

Those people of falsehood, David spake of, were 
punished, and punishment will be the eternal result of 
such actions ; for the wicked in their wickedness and the 
righteous with their real piety, both have their legions of 
followers. And if any, so is certainly the seed of 
wickedness easily embodied in the human heart. 

" For the heart of man is bent on sin in its state of 
youthfumess." 

Allegations in regard to God are contagious and widely 
spreading like a consuming fire. 

We read in Jeremiah, 23 : 

" Are not the words concerning me (God) like fire ? 
consuming while spreading." 

Praying without devotion belongs under this " heading:" 
(we only call it praying because it has been called so by 
many !) and I am sorry to be compelled to say, such 
praying has become a contagious modern evil, not easy to 
cure — for it has taken a predominating position in the 
present sickly spirit of the age. Read in Prov. 18. v. 14 : 

ruNP* ♦» n*03 nm *\rhr\n Sb^ b^k rm 

" The spirit of man will sustain his infirmity, a wounded 
spirit, unforboding." 



86 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 



g. he Mffirit of a guMg §o 3 . 

This wounded, sickly spirit has become the spirit of our 
present time ; it is lingering about the synagogues, about 
the temples ; confronts the prayers at home as well as all 
the (would be) good action of ours abroad, for it is easily 
spread and hard to heal. Allow me, reader ! you are cer- 
tainly anxious to heal this malady of the present spirit of 
the age, and you are very anxious to know where it exists, 
in order that you may apply the right physic : I will here- 
unto give you a little narrative for the purpose : 

A gentleman quite sad and solid looking, with appear- 
ance of absence of mind, occasioned perhaps by too heavy 
weight upon his heart, was thus accosted by his friend : 
What ails you, friend ? your heart-rending appearance is a 
surprise to me ! The poor man addressed, replied : My 
dear and only son is sick. Sick! ejaculated* the friend in 
quite a sudden and surprised manner, that is impossible, 
for I have just met him ; I meet him daily, and his looks 
betray little trace of sickness 1 For all that — says the 
troubled father — he is sick, for he has taken no kind of 
food for the last three days. Alas ! for the restoration of 
his appetite. The friend quite overcome by sympathy, 
promises to go and see the patient and to find some 
remedy if possible. He meets the patient and speaks to 
him about various matters, entertains his attention on the 
point in question, and finally offers him money and various 
presents if he will only eat a morsel of hread and some 
meat. — The patient assents, being carried away by the 
golden promise ; he really eats again. The father, over- 
joyed with the lucky result of the treatment, inquires into 
the cause of such a rapid recovery. The friend says : I 
gave him money ; I bought his appetite. ! cried the un- 
happy father, this must be hurtful to my son's system and 
therefore the more painful to my feelings, for I know but 
too well, that my son is sick ! He is sick, inwardly sick, 
and therefore hard to cure ! 

Reader, this serves us as an illustration of our own reli- 
gious character. 

Our sickness of the heart means our insensibility to God 
and to his greatness ! 



THE COMPORTS OP LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 87 

Prayers, morals and ceremonial observances, charity, 
etc., are like the food which we decline to partake ; but 
habit, public praise and attention, fat salaries and the good 
opinion of the people, are the money and the presents that 
can buy us. Is there not too much of mockery going on ? 
enough of it to fill the heart of the righteous with horror ? 
Any action clad in the garment of " religion" without the 
absolutely necessary preparation of the heart is mean, is 
" supporting mockery," and adding evil to evil, — conse- 
quently very punishable. 



Our sages said (in Pirke-aboth :) 

" Who is to be called wise ? Who can see into the future !" 

You want to pray! well, prepare yourself first, consider 
first with heart and mind that you are about to thank God 
for his kindness and to approach him the creator of all, 
the greatest of the great, and the King of kings, — and you 
will find it easy to clothe your thoughts in expression of 
praise and love to " Him." But praying, as the production 
of habit and of social circumstances draws punishment. 
(See more about prayer, page 14.) The strictest obser- 
vance in eating no hogmeat, on account of its being for- 
bidden, is noways a failure and bears on its head that 
crown of beautiful " merit ;" yet dread and fear never con- 
stitute pure devotion. Fear and abhorrence of punishment 
are never connected with sanctification and purity. See 
the opinion of our Talmudist in reference to the "merit" 
or compensation as regards the compliance with the law to 
eat no hogmeat : 

Sna nnn ntpnn ?|h & Pis -mn bx 

" Say not : I eat no hogmeat because I do not like the 
taste of it, but say : I like it, yet eat it not, for the God 
of Heaven has so decreed." 

This shows on our part a readiness to make our wishes 
subservient to his desires. Minding thus the observances 



88 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

recommended in the holy Scripture, is " truly serving the 
Lord at his holy altar." Reader, behold the wide gulf 
which parts us from yonder shore, where that altar stands 
erected by true servants and devoted friends of God, the 
" unit." We are affronting the truth in our daily occupa- 
tions ; we, as the prophet ' indignantly reproaches us, 
say that " sweet is bitter." 

inb pins pnjtg 

Why do we act so foolishly ? Why do we barter aWay 
our power of reasoning, our intellect, for the gratification 
of the most trivial wishes, the product of contriving pas- 
sion ? and why do we thus call the realization of worldly 
demands our God, our world, our Heaven, the grand 
object for which solely we live and work, and care and 
meditate, and labor mentally and bodily ! 

We have bartered away our hearts and minds for some- 
thing that belongs to earth and can never be made suit- 
able to take heavenwards ; we have led our soul into a 
labyrinth of errors, and see not where we have arrived, — . 
still going on blindly and depending upon the skill of 
others to reguide us from the labyrinth into which we 
have strayed, and not troubling ourselves to ascertain, 
whether those appointed guides know the path or not. 



^jihont l^iibhieB, to whom this fettle does not belong. 

We are placing confidence in a certain class of men who 
come from Europe over here pretending to know ; sowing 
broadcast their own Minhagim, (modes and manners in 
which we shall perform our religious evolutions,) and try 
to make them paramount; at the same time asserting that 
these, their own productions, are the laws and ordinances of 
God. Shall we confide in their doctrines because they have 
got the name " Rabbi?" This class of rabbies, (O^ll) 
masters, (of the art of clothing the wolf in the skin of the 
lamb!) call any one an " Epikoreth " who differs with 
them and their Minhag. These persons in most cases are, 
forsooth, little conversant with etymology, otherwise they 
would not be so ready to style others by a by-word, justly 
belonging to the friendly donors. Abiding by their Min- 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 89 

hagim we serve them, and not the Lord. Their Minhagim 
teach us not: to remove and not to use false scales and 
weights; it might thus come into conflict with their juris- 
diction ; still less are we cautioned by their Minhagim 
against falsehood, untruth, and false pretension in gen- 
eral and towards our neighbor in particular. Such a leaf 
might get torn out of their codes and memorandums, be- 
cause it would probably, by referring to its passage, con- 
demn the majority for nyj H^VJ (stealing the thoughts 
and inventions of others; under tne pretence that they are 
property common to all. Their Minhagim teach us, as 
citizens of a great republic, not much about the existence 
and whereabouts of national laws ; it may be that these 
cannot bear company — and wish therefore to stand iso- 
lated for purposes best known to the authors. They do 
less explain the commandement : 

" Speak not the name of the Eternal, thy God, under 
any false motive or vague pretence;" for they would have 
to run the risk, that some one of their enemies, whom 
they have been incautious enough to stigmatize with the 
by-word " Epikoreth," would come to the conclusion that 
the "Din:" moving the head "to" and "fro" while 
praying, was not exactly a law of God, although by that 
class of rabbies (most assuredly by mistake) thus pro- 
nounced. Yes, there are many, many who haVe taken 
the solemn obligation to guide a religious-seeking nation 
to the plains of justice, law, and love, and friendship — and 
come not near to the fulfilment of their obligations ; they 
know and are aware of it themselves, still they are the 



Frowards in Israel's Camps! 

or : 

"Rabbies" to whom the Title does not belong. 

About their actions we may justly say with the author 
of the work "Kely-Chemdah" — (as author of this little 
work I cannot help remembering my own former days and 
associates at the Talmud-School) — 



90 " THE VOICE op truth; or 

nDn»:n EWWl won >mnD 

" Ephraini surrounded me with falsehood and deceit." 

bn a? ti tip rmm 

" And Judah (feigning to be with God.") 

" And when congregating with pious men." 

" Displays piety." 

Certainty this class of clergymen deserves watching ; at 
such time it is allowable to speak out our disapproval, for 
duty commands us to try to dismantle thus a craft, that 
otherwise will surely bear us into a whirlpool, the abyss 
of which cannot be fathomed. This class consists of men 
well practised to defraud, in order to enrich themselves. 
Likewise speaks Proverb 3 : 

mo ty*w? mi riSj n raym p 

A froward being an abomination in the estimation of 
God, he imparts his secrets to the righteous. Yes, it is 
a peculiarity of the impostor to nestle himself right close 
by the door of justice, in order not to be noticed in this 
true garment : in his diabolical schemes. He professes 
friendship and brotherly love, still is at war with all that 
is virtuous ; he establishes by his Minhagim, and by the 
" Dinim " of his an undercurrent of quicksand, and calls 
this "propriety and social convenience;" he holds out an 
olive branch, upon the leaves of which he strews the deadly 
poison. Surely, our patriarch Jacob knew the danger of 
having to encounter a pretented friend, or impostor, or 
hypocrite. Read in Genesis, c. 5 : 

itiw td vw t» so vb'vn 

"O save me from my brother's hands, the hands of 
Esau!" 

Could not Jacob individually take it up against his 
brother Esau ? Had he not twelve sons to assist him in 
any attack made upon him, in case it should have come 
to mind of Esau to affront Jacob with the mien of a chal- 
lenging enemy? What, then, could make Jacob afraid 
of Esau, and cause him to pray for heavenly assistance in 



THE COMPORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 91 

case that human calculation and caution should prove un- 
availing ? Jacob may have been timid, but History does 
not stamp him a coward, and with a peculiar cunningness 
of his own could it be less difficult for him to meet a 
hostile brother and to convert his anger into reconciled 
brotherly love. Again, History shows us plainly enough 
the fact : that Jacob had an abundance of physical strength, 
otherwise he would have been less successful in wrestling 
with the man that met him *3£)OTl uD^H^^ EDV IV "^ ^3 5 
a good reason why Jacob need not fear a combat with 
Esau, nor be troubled about his success in the result ! All 
this could not alarm Jacob. He feared Esau's playing a 
double game with him; he feared that he might come 
under the colors of brotherly love, and being so received, 
might then display the treachery of the savage, the brute, 

of the reckless enemy, of an Esau. — Read the opinion of 

t > it 

tyy&W- D7& JD"in.D on the verse of the Psalmist 
saying, ' 

ntwn <h n 

" Be with me, God, when there is help to me." (Let 
this be not pretended help!) 

" I can see my enemies plainly myself." 

God's interposition is certainly required when man's 
own skill is insufficient to sound the depths of intrigue 
and hypocrisy. 

Alas, for the worst ! being satisfied in our own minds 
as to the existence of such hypocrites with all their laws 
and Minhagim and Dinim, we become somewhat too hasty 
in forming our conclusions and call the upright, the hon- 
est, the true, and well learned by a like name of rejection, 
whereas we should deal justly in all cases. 

It is for us now to mark the righteous servants of God, 
and to find out the miscreants in the domain of religion, 
in order to give honor to those to whom honor is due, and 
to the transgressor, before mentioned, our entire contempt. 
, Follow me patiently, Reader, and we will find in *"}£p 
^t^W (Siphry Jerushalem) : 

o?fi pi 'D^n run a^n idvdo rm xb 
ma rvrv Dk jnv ♦di >nnft 



92 THE VOICE OP truth; or 

" Never but once stood the law of Israel wondrous 
pure in order, and who can tell whether such will ever be 
the case again." 

At that time was the garden of G-od, without any wall, 
accessory to all. But later, aud at the present time, there 
are so many Minhagim in existence and almost in opposi- 
tion to each other, that that garden cannot be seen on 
account of the mass of walls. As I have already spoken 
in another part of this work about this matter and made 
the remark, that for the better maintenance of the organic 
law these walls may be altered and beautified, etc. 



I will only give here a little story for the better under- 
standing of the case : 

In Mexico prevails the rural custom of erecting of adobe 
a heavy wall around the nicest of gardens. I called on 
my journey through Mexico at a farmer's house to obtain 
some refreshments. I was admitted and stayed to dinner. 
"Our host" — after the meal was over — took me into his 
garden — " a very Eden " — of the most beautiful flowers 
and trees, such as the wanderer can see only in a tropical 
climate. The slender aloe here bids defiance to the ever- 
green nryrtle, yonder the lily to the voluptuous rose ; one 
bed of flowers seemed to challenge the others to vie with 
them in exquisite beauty, and the most luxurious fragrance 
was diffused everywhere and tried to steal into the visi- 
tor's nostrils, without even asking permission. But the 
landlord was quite surprised, to behold again and again 
the worms and noxious insects disturbing the most excel- 
lent and rarest of flowers and .gaudy trees. Yet they 
threatened devastation and ruin to this truly heavenly 
garden. My host was anxious to put an end to all this 
mischief; he became, therefore, much interested in finding 
the origin and nature of these creeping malefactors, but 
all his observations resulted in failure. I also made in- 
vestigation of my own, and found out that these worms 
and insects had settled deep in these very walls, coming 
out of their hiding-places regularly at sunrise to extermi- 
nate the beauty of the garden and destroy its value. I in- 



THE COMPORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 93 

formed my host of what I had seen, and advised him to 
pull down the "brick wall" and fill up the nests of the 
noxious reptiles and insects of various kinds with lime, 
provided they were rooted anywhere in the earth beneath 
the wall ; and as the garden must have some protection, 
to replace the wall by a light }^et substantial fence, made 
of wood or wire. — What shall I do ? What ! — Upset this 
antique wall ? I could not and will not tear down a work 
of my great-grandfathers. I respect my ancestors too 
much for that ! — I tried to explain to him that the protec- 
tion of the garden caused his grandfather to build this 
wall; that this wall did not longer answer the purpose — 
that therefore his grandfather, if he were living to-day, 
would not hesitate himself to bring about an alteration for 
the better, by pulling down this work of his own hands, 
when, equally with us, convinced of the destructive result 
of allowing it to remain any longer. — I had spoken, and 
would have been almost sorry that I had suggested to him 
such a plan, had I not felt the comforting consciousness 
within, that I, being an ardent adorer of Nature's beauties, 
had advised him for the best and from the purest motives. 
I say, I felt almost sorry; — for to describe the mental agi- 
tation the dutiful grandson labored under, would be im- 
possible. I soon afterwards departed and left my hospi- 
table friend employ himself with his own meditations. 

Owing to business a few years afterwards, I was thrown 
into the neighborhood of my friend's plantation, and pro- 
ceeded as soon as possible to pay him a visit. " I shall 
never again deem the wall more precious than the garden, 
my welcome friend !" cried my host, extending both his 
arms to embrace me ; " my garden is no longer infested ; 
the plants are secure and undisturbed, for I have done as 
you told me at last !" 

Here closes the story, ihe explanation of which needs 
no further efforts. 



tiff here in our ^mericm ^UHmq ? 

The Jehudim of the different parts of Europe, etc., have 
brought into this country their different " Minhagim ;" the 
work at the option of Rabbies in ancient times, fully cor- 



94 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

responding with the memorial past. Have they brought 
along the pictures or portraits of their ruling potentates 
too ? 

We see hereabouts the Polish Minhag Jehudin, from 

Poland, Russia, and kindred states ! Why have you left 
behind the knout and the ukas, under whose scourging 
lashes and oppressive weight you have learned to move 
" to " and " fro," and to crook your body while praying 
for mercy. Jehudim of Portugal and former Spain ! you 
brought your Minhagim over here with all your monotony, 
mournful sounding chants. Where have you left the holy 
inquisition, the death chamber, the chamber of torture, 
and the fetters and manacles of your papal potentates ? 

Jehudim of France! you have not forgotten to bring 
with you the Minhagim of your country. Where is the por- 
trait of Ludwig IX., who made you wear' the round piece 
of blue cloth upon } r our overcoat or dress, this splendid 
target to be aimed at when false accusations like " poi- 
soned wells " and crucifixion of Christian children got 
ready to take their sway. 

Jehudim of Italy ! Have you brought along with your 
Minhagim the letter of protection, signed by those kings 
and popes to whom you were compelled to do homage? to 
that pope who returned your " Sefer Torah " with con- 
tempt, and afterwards with a kick of his infallible catholic 
foot. You Jehudim from Germany, Holland, etc., you 
have most assuredly not forgotten your Minhagim, but 
was it too much for you,to bring with you those abomin- 
able letters of protection, and those Italian G-ettos, and 
" Gernian-Judengassen," and the memorandum of the 
amount your fathers paid at a toll-gate, for being tolerated 
to pass in and out as " Jews ?" 

We can easily find those volumes of Minhagim in the 
pockets of those men who are trying to promulgate the 
same in this country, the land of the freed sons of Israel, 
as a law equally potent with the holy Word of God. 
Those men (would-be-Rabbies) make their Minhagim the 
anvil upon which they hammer and forge a something that 
they call " Judaism." I cannot help thinking that this 
variety of Jehudim, citizens of one great country and all 
Americans! will certainly join in my opinion, that the 
very many and different Minhagim prove fatal to the pros- 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 95 

perity and success of Judaism on the American Conti- 
nent, as much so as if there was no Minhagim at all. 

My humble suggestion on the point in question is quite 
respectfully submitted to the multitude of friendly readers. 

Our Rabbies, D.D.'s, Reverends, Preachers of the Jew- 
ish creed, are holding on to their various Minhagim like 
the crafty merchant sometimes does to merchandise, by 
which he makes his living, and sometimes a very hand- 
some one at that. We are by no means jealous of this 
position of yours, but in the name of God, in the name 
of all those Israelites whose hearts are still accessible, 
when right and light seek for admission; in the name of 
all Jewish American citizens, prepare, if you please, a code 
of Minhagim common to all, and to be adopted by all of 
us survivors of the year of 1870! Look upon our pos- 
terity! These are no longer Polander, German, Russian, 
English, Portuguese; they are Americans, and will and 
can have nothing more useful than " a Minhag of Amer- 
ica." This is a stern proposition : our prosperity will de- 
mand, that for which we are begging you. There is no 
further alternative, for the garden of God must be attended 
to! Give us fitting Minhagim, suitable and in corre- 
spondence with the country, and the age we live in. Say 
not: it cannot be done ! It may be done ; for even the 
authors of the existing old Minhagim agree upon any alter- 
ation of the by-laws, Minhagim and Dinim, so long as the 
organic law does not suffer thereby. Reader, examine the 
work, Jerushalmy Deshilahu Erubin (inSt#*T *oSt#W 
TO*n^) an d see what the celebrated Mahary Ren Ha- 

Dno ^Hn }2l HH/0 nas to say in response to the pas- 
sage in Psalm : 

&b& nmTU bm tzy: »:m rvmi 

" All its ways (the Torah's ways) are ways of pleasant- 
ness, and all its paths are peace." 
He says : 

B»D"pi ^rpni cm-ib rrnrotr fnva Won 
iriKwn Sin ropn r0sid\ mntpo e&K& 

&*:opr\ Cj^ntpni nnvon im uww 

5 



96 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

nmon -nom caiSwi o*j& 

" The law of God signifieth the way — the main and 
broad way, stationary and unalterable, — but the laws given 
by our Rabbies resemble the path — the by-path — which is 
only used for a little time, and transferable, just owing to 
the forming and keeping of the land in order*" 

: Should others reply, that we dare not alter our Minha- 
gim, and put aside those by-paths once laid out, for it 
stands written in the holy law : 

iann-po Ton *6i 

" Thou shalt not turn off from the word," — they may 
tt 
with me refer to {^Sp (Ramban), and the celebrated 

*pynn nsD Syn \m sa y s • 
"TCfSrD s»?M» nD2 tihx "Ton kVi" wb 
mm pn fiyb nrwin© DHcn-nrt snan 
rmon n^ $^ -wan ntt pnn is rop 
rmnm rmpnn Sn« in tm narru rrwirw 
nSt^ tiAl niinn rno^^b ED'hsn iew 

You shall not leave off from those thirteen articles 
which the word of the holy Scripture tells you (see the 

Tractat Rabbi Ishmael) (7NO&P* *3TT JVHH) 5 but all 
other regulations and by-laws gotten up by our sages in 
order to fill the laws of God, are only serving as a hedge, 
therefore excluded from the stated rule and subject to 
alteration. 

However, many of our clerical leaders deem it more 
advisable to preserve that thick wall of Minhagim, which, 
neatly bound, fill their libraries. They care only for the 
wall, but very little for the garden itself. Our venerable 
sages of olden times had even then to encounter such men; 
for Rambam, in Moreh Nebuchim, art. 2, sect. 4*7, says : 

Go nans n pbn mion biiibn) 

-py ■nxan ■form d*?d niaujn Sd ib n^am 

bw mm "no by rvoSin dSd^d jtuidk 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 97 

nvn'Dtf 'rfn rron flDsm Tnutpnoi 
w:m n-nn aatwrni nosn id -ike mpirn 
^Sddd cm-i utpnp leb WbS« itrnsn dV 
uc?n* o nm pn c^Din cumri 
npen j^dj Ho vsKnn c& 4< ? impryp 
cm "nan S^S ?m* >nD" now on^yi 
cSd ^Dnn -idnip iSD nmnn p EypTH 
^ nyi ?kvto 1 ? Bnum p^ cmDi 
*?3N no^n wk t*3S wrw no *a cans'? 
wn Saa no nnS im© no&n p pirn 

VJD31 1p» 

"And there will come the time, in which there will be 
revealed, and comprehensive and remaining with thee the 
true faith in its natural way according to the will of God, 
who desireth nothing more than the positive truth, and 
hates nothing more than falsehood or lying. Try not' to 
support thyself by knowledge without truth — by a some- 
thing far off from the truth ; — and imagine thus to be the 
law of God, (continues Rabbi Sch. A. T.,) like many silly 
rabbies of the present time, who believe approaching God 
was facilitated by believing everything, even the misrepre- 
sentations of truth. And the Proverbs speak of such a 
kind of men : ' but the fool believes everything,' and is 
therefore far off from learning God. Again, all may be 
right and straight to those who sufficiently comprehend, 
but not to fools, because they understand no truth ; they 
are far off from truth ; nothing else but falsehood, lying, 
and 'none' is their understanding." 

Job says, c. .15: 

union rrnn m# \d rani wi j*ot* *?« 

" That man inclined to err believes not straightfor- 
ward truth ; he will take falsehood in exchange." 

Reader, believe with me, and be by the foregoing passages 
of the Scriptures and the tradition fully convinced, that 



98 THE VOICE OP truth; ok 

the Minhagim and Dinim, as generally collected and re- 
ferred to, were not given on Mount Sinai ! For the sake 
of truth adhere to the principal doctrines and dogmas of a 
God-abiding people, by adopting the same means that 
Moses was compelled to resort to. 

tzmbft 'un* Vn *m$ avn bzo nrnn rawi 

J DDK W)H 
" Choose of the entire nation heroes well qualified, that 
actually fear the Lord and are men of truth." 

Let us weigh this matter carefully and arrange our 
affairs in regard to all dogmatical systems in a very practi- 
cal manner. It needs no telling that Israel has at the 
present time too many clerical superiors, besides the large 
number of laymen happening to know some traditional 
fables accompanied by a few Hebrew words, thus con- 
sidering themselves to be not beholding to their congrega- 
tional Rabbi for instruction; and that owing to this our 
deplorable position, we are left in the dark , or rather we 
are blinded and our will is overtaxed, for we cannot well 
serve more than one God at the same time. 



It has therefore become our duty — and to you children 
of a free Israel on the soil of free American I appeal — 
to place one clerical man, a man of full integrity, of honor 
and just principles, and of thorough knowledge, a man of 
the people, who understands our present position, at the 
head of our American Jewish Clergy ; yet it is absolutely 
necessary that such man be the direct choice of your 
officiating Rabbies:— so harmony and concord amongst 
themselves prevail? Thus you may safely trust the result 
of their proceedings, as your Rabbies are in the most of 
cases men of intellect and learning, and will certainly not 
vote for any one but the most competent and honest one, 
in whom they vest the executive pov^er to form with them 
the regulations, rules, Minhagim or Dinim by which all 
our church affairs must be governed. Such a man of 
truth, and honor, and fidelity to Judaism, we must have. 
Without this fundamental reform we are every day gradu- 



THE COMFORTS 0? LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 99 

ally losing sight of the grand mission of Israel as a 
nation, -poy n^vj nfctyn HM "Din H^ Otf 

" If we do so, we shall stand and maintain our position 
as Israelites, as God-abiding Jews." 

A body with many heads is a monster and cannot live. 
This is a true doctrine and is applicable to any clerical, 
political or individual body. See Pro v. 28 and read : 

nnw dui n^n yWh% 

" The land is sinful on account of having too many 
rulers." 

And Aristotle paid : (see Chobeth-Halvavath.) 

It is not advisable to have so many " superiors," and to 
apply this with reference to our clerical superiors, every 
one of them is trying to render himself indispensable, to 
bring forth something new to be placed in the shape 
of " Minhag" along side the tremendous number of " Min- 
hagim" existing prior to this. And see the palpable result 
of acting thus ; they think to create realities while sur- 
rounded by mere phantoms. The prophet Jesaias speaks 
in accordance. 

" That table which they surround is full of smut, for 
the right spirit, ' God,' is missing." 

Reader, when 1 shall see that day, when American 
Jehudim are in possession of a code of American Min- 
hagim binding alike to all Jehudim, then shall I consider 
myself richly rewarded for the labor involved in the 
authorship of this little work before you, which I have 
written, never losing sight of the aim of bringing about 
if possible, 

A Union of all American Israelites, and a more 

CAREFUL DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN GOOD AND GOOD 
AND BAD AND BAD. 

We will, I hope, by this code of American Minhagim, 
readily perceive that saying no " T.OlD.O ^HT^ * s no SU1 ? 
and that with all the kindred pieces we may deal accord- 
ingly, whereas it will be a sin to say no — Siiemang Israel 



100 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

(S^n'^> 3?ft2>) ail( * tnat ^ ought to be saidin a compre- 
hensive language. Our sages said already tt^S ^DH JJ'£t!J 
PDT1? nnXwJ Read "Shenaang" in a tongue thou 
understandest, in order to dwell with the thoughts on the 
" unity of a God of Israel," so that our actions give final 
evidence of the state of our love and fear to God. 
it 

The Scriptures say : ni 

So thou forever dost think of God, having him always 
at heart — 

lam ~\r\m -nten 

" Thy going out and coming in will certainly be guarded." — 
^Comprehending this teaches th^e readily: 

"That we have but one Father, but one Creator of All!" — 
And we shall .accordingly conceive that all of us are 
children of this One God, and are not allowed to trespass 
against each other ; otherwise we render ourselves more 
liable than by sinning against God directly. We find in 

Talmud Knnn «nn 

terra 1 ? cnx yyp 

" Sin of man towards man is more punishable than sin 
of man towards God." 

In the book frHirV \D2t^ bV~l (Baal Shebeth Jehudah,) 
we read thus : King Alfonso of France inquired of a Sage 
at that time, why the destruction of the second Temple 
was generally considered a more grave punishment 
than the destruction of the first Temple; to which the 
Sage replied : " Sin against God was the cause of the de- 
struction of the first Temple ; but the children of Israel 
evinced hatred instead love to mankind, and the destruc- 
tion of the second Temple was the direct consequence, — a 
punishment more serious for a trespass, more grave in its 
character." 

The union of Israel is the main condition. Only as a 
unit can we be successful in producing that great unity of 
mankind, to the performance of which God, the Unit, has 
chosen us. Union, even under sacrifice of some cherished 
ideas, is the foremost proposition, as I understand Jesaias 
advocating the Union, saying : 



THE COMFORTS OP LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 101 

•6 run .DHfl« ca*as9 nnn 

w While being united leave Ephraim alone, still they 
are worshipping idols." 

When Israel shall be more united they will naturally be 
more careful in discriminating and deciding ; consequently 
more cautious in their actions. Israel will gradually find 
out that there are capital crimes, and others again petty 
cases of sin, and will learn to treat each accordingly. 
P. B. Eating hogmeat is forbidden, and only once spoken 
of in the Holy Scripture, as : 

" The hog, thou shalt not eat of it." 

The transgression of this law is generally taken as a 
capital crime : the culprit finds himself at once expelled, 
decried, and of ill repute by some Jewish congregation 
of the old countries ; and the accusation is made, and the 
condemnation of the culprit is carried out in a very sum- 
mary manner at the Synagogue, that place where we pray 
to Grod to show us mercy. They count not such a man in 
"Mingan," and call him not to the Reading of the Torah. 

But again, how do they treat that brother F who has 
trespassed against the law : 

pmn np^ hid 

" Keep far from the utterance of falsehood." 
How do we treat the liar, the swindler ? The habit of 
those gentlemen is to injure their neighbor where and 
whenever opportunity offers a chance. Look well into their 
crimes, for the law is plain in its expressions : 

" Whatsoever thou sayesfc, must thou keep in mind." 

pis *n« ,pt5f *:?ko : m^ani 
QDb rv*v Pitf rm pTd TWK 

" Ye shall do no unrighteous in judgment, in mete-yard, 
in weight and in measure. Just balances, just weights, 
a just dry measure, and a just wet measure (Hin) shall ye 
have." 



102 THE VOICE OE TRUTH; OB, 

Which expression, " Hin " (signifjung likewise " yes") 
our Talmudist explains in this phrase : 

pis rvrr "]W "ri^n ~bv \n 

"Your 'yes' and 'no,' shall always be just." 

Behold again the law, Exod. 23: &y^ yft"? ^t^H ^S 
which the Targum translates : HD^T J?0'^ ^^pD K 1 ? 

" Thou Shalt even not listen to a lie." 

Need it to be said that the Bible at various other places 
warns against crimes of the same importance and like 
character, and condemns the perpetrator of such deeds. 
But how do they treat criminals of this sort ? They expel 
the hogmeat eater, but hold out to the second criminal all 
the honors at out- command to be bestowed on others. 
The last criminal is deemed worthy to be taken in Mingan ; 
yet they try also to give him f. i. " maflir ;" and why ? per- 
haps on account of his smooth tongue, by which he can 
cheat his fellow-man, thinking that thus the tongue is a 
good organ to read the Haphtarah fluently; or has lying 
and falsehood, clandestine, become valid with your Min- 
hagim? which you so readily assert to be valid to that 
"Halacha" of Sinai! 

Or will you clothe those kinds of high crimes with the 
cloak of innocent jest, a mere play, a trifling, an act not 
intended ? 

See what Sol. says in Pro v. 28 : 

moi n v *"n a^pt rrvn nSn^noD 
nS pnwn *6n noKi trwi m noi t^a p 

" A man who throws firebrands, and arrows, and death ! 
such is the man who deceives his neighbor and says: am 
I not in sport?" 

Judge in all cases and at all times aright, with thought- 
fulness and consideration ; so you do not call it a sin and 
condemnable to walk about with the head uncovered, while 
it is a sin to walk about with an uncovered face. — Bash- 
fulness and modesty shall be the constant cover of our 
face ; because when we lay aside this garment, we have 
laid aside our sense of honor before God, and certainly 
before our fellow-man. 



THE COMFORTo OF LIFE AND THEIR RE VERSES. 103 

See what the holy Scripture says on "shame" and "no 
shame." The prophet Zephaniah, c. 3.: 

" The wicked have no shame." 
Jeremiah, c. 6, reads : 

"You are even not ashamed." 

Jehezekiel, in various passages of his book : 

"Be ashamed,- house of Israel, of thy deeds and ways." 
Also Esra, c. 9 : 

" O Lord, I am ashamed, and my face turneth red." 
Considering the deep importance "of the existence or 

non-existence of "shame," our Rabbles say in Tractat. 

Abotz, sect. 5 : 

"The impudent are for Gehinnom, and the modest for 
Paradise." 

It is therefore immaterial, whether the head is covered 
or uncovered, but less so with regard to the face. An un- 
covered face (with other words, a face deprived of bash- 
fulness) is deprived of modesty, the absence of which 
makes us very apt to overrate our own valor, our wisdom 
and learning, our intellect, piety and humanity — against 
which we are forewarned in Eccles. 9 : 

"Deem not thyself too pious nor too wise," as such is 
operating against the individual welfare of men; for 

Sdd 'r\n bw ronn yann W 

" Be not bad, nor be a fool." 

To think that we have arrived at the final point of 
accomplishment as regards scholarship, is foolish, and 
alluding to such silliness Sol. speaks, Pro v. 18 : 

isS ni^rra e:N"*3 nyinrn b*DD ribrv nS 

5* 



104 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

" The fool will not learn, reasoning only according to 
his own heart." 

A person who will not learn is similar to a person who 
firmly believes that all which had been taught to him in 
former times is perfect, irrefragable and unsurpassable. 
This is true when the maxim "extremes will meet" is 
irrevocably true, on the truth of which I based the fore- 
going assertion ; but let me endeavor to make my meaning 
more clear to the general reader: As yourself : is man 
not liable to errors ? and while searching for one object, 
may he not encounter another and mistake it for the one 
in view ? What causeth the existence of so many atheists ? 
People have searched for the fundamental power "God," 
and found Nature, a subordinate power, as being enough 
for them. And we find classical and apt scholars, and 
people without the first principle of true schooling or 
" study" proclaiming there is no other God but Nature. 
The scientifically trained atheist searches and investigates 
all the sources of the sciences treating on God, and he 
succeeds in promoting his mental power by intellectual 
acquisitions! But thus placed, he ought never to say: 
that which I have found by my own exertion and teaching 
of others is alone true and irrevocable; such assumption 
would betray the fool with his folly. In reference to this, 
we find the author of " Beth Jehudah" giving his opinion 

u t n tt 

on the expression of \fo -yfcj 2D rmDIl foV '11 which 
latter reads: 

rainrvpD rtoa on oaDte s?3 nrrinm" 

d j nrron mn\ ip*\v nnri w ok n&i&n 
rryflsS rap iKta^ iBfix »nlauo rrtjnoi 

"All the treatise and lecturing on 'God' are right, 
provided they are rightly understood ; for it stands writ- 
ten: 'all thy evidential words are just!' also: 'I am the 
Eternal, justice speaking!' — Yet we should be very cau- 
tious, while expounding the truth of this maxim, not to 
misconstrue ideas (fundamental and subordinate powers), 
otherwise we tarn atheists, denying all referring to the 
existence of God." 



TIIE COMFORTS OP LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 105 

See Beth Jeliuda's opinion, in the following, as an ap- 
pendix to the foregoing; 

" The fool and the atheist are alike; the former increases 
whereas the latter diminishes the law ; the latter recog- 
nizes no God, and is equally punishable with the fool 
who believes everything that impostors may say to him 
and the word of the law too ; for he is too timid to touch 
any of the laws, to investigate their importance and moral 
weight in obedience to and compliance with the ordinance: 

in wan kSi 

" Thou shalt not touch it (God's word)." 

Reader, judge for yourself by reading fcOl DW12 

CO'* nttHD (Bereshith Rabba 19) concerning this law: 

u Thou must not touch it : not directly or indirectly, 
for both will prove injurious." The Pr. 30 says: "Add 
not too much to his words in order to shun deception for 
which you render yourself liable." Rabbi Chijan defines 
it thus : u Be forewarned not to consider the by-laws (wall- 
ing) superior to the principal dogmas (that garden), so 
that the wall may not fail and break the plants." 

]B viin bv wnbtt "Vn'rt hn iwn &V)" 
nfcyn *&& tf»n S *jn >j>nori -p* mm'* 
v^pn bi&* tiiw ipyn p ~inv nn^i n& 

j^iscrimimtion in Ranting mi (^hmfa. 

To fast often and much is no benefit to our soul ; chas- 
tising our body avails us nothing. I do not question the 
good intent of this ceremonial (traditionally) law, but I 
qustion the good result thereof in our day. Excuse me, 
reader, for bringing up a little story concerning my sister 
and a goose that she once had. " She stuffed the goose 
in order to fatten it ; she stuffed it daily for about three 
weeks, and then ceased doing so for several days; con- 
sequently the goose got very hungry. My sister resumed 
her stuffing-process, and the goose ate more than ever." — 
By our fasting we think that we have expiated our sins, 



106 THE VOICE OF TRUTH ; OR 

and we proceed again to sin with renewed activity. Ex- 
perience establishes a new rule sometimes. Much fasting 
deprives the body of its natural strength and does not 
benefit the soul ; how advantageously, therefore, must this 
new rule work : " Feed the soul, without depriving the 
body of the substance of life !" Ask me not how this 
could be made possible. I will tell you without being 
asked to do so. You are in the habit of goiug twice a 
week to the theatre, which will cost about two dollars; 
please go but once, and give the dollar thus saved to the 
poor. Your table is groaning under its burden of rich, 
luxurious viands ; — do with a little less, and give what is 
thus saved to the poor. Look at your wardrobe which, 
not being made like ah extension table, is unable to con- 
tain all your silks and velvets, and cloth and cassimeres ; 
please buy a little less, and give the savings to the poor. 
Look at the capital you have invested in golden trinkets, 
like jewelry, not even seen about you once in the year : 
could there be, out of this deadened capital, nothing saved 
for the poor? Look at your hand, and at the number 
of rings sparkling on the fingers ; sell one of those rings, 
and give the proceeds to the poor; for that hand is cer- 
tain to decay, whereas the soul might live thereby for 
ever. Dispense with only one of your new and comfort- 
able suits of winter clothes, and give it to that poor man^ 
who is shivering all over, who has had no food and no 
clothes for many cold and stormy days, save what the 
hand of charity has given him. 

Is it needed to cite any more opportunities, by which 
you are enabled to feed your soul? Our Talmudist have 
earnestly and repeatedly recommended this manner of 
living ; amongst others serve here this : 

nrio Siyj np-iv ^no npiyi vddjo r?\an Sn 

" Whosoever retains a certain part of his propert}^ for 
charitable purposes, he will be saved from Gehinnom." 

While affluence surrounds you stretch forth a helping 
hand ; real, material aid to poor people gives strength to 
your soul, and the body is least deprived for it, read in 
Prov. 13: 



THE COMFORTS OP LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 107 

" The righteous eats but to satisfy his soul, but the 
wicked keeps his body in want." 

pinion on "^tgordh** 

Thou art persuaded to whirl or to swing a chicken 
about tlry head, and to kill and to eat it afterwards. This 
chicken so doomed was to die for thy sin, in order to pro- 
long th} r life and bring safety to thy soul. — This prevailing 
custom, I say myself, will prolong our life ; for chicken- 
meat is a very wholesome food, and nice to eat after being 
well broiled or stewed. Reader, you may still better take 
it for granted that as long as you eat chicken with a hearty 
appetite, that there is no danger of dying ; but that a 
chicken, thus used up as a " Keporah," could appease the 
anger of your God against whom you have sinned, is a 
fantastic idea, a fiction to which we adhere as long as we 
believe in chicken-meat. The shedding of chicken«bIood 
does not cleanse our heart nor soul from sin. This, one 
of the Minhagim of our fathers is borrowed from the 
heathen of past ages, and introduced into our midst as an 
authenticated law. God has never a desire to take away 
life, never ! The creator of life bids us though, to restore 
life to the bodies of those unhappy ones who are near to 
starvation, to perishing for the want of food and clothing. 
We — therefore, instead of killing and shedding the blood 
of chickens, in order to restore life to our souls — we had 
better endeavor to ameliorate the circumstances of those 
needy ones whose lives have almost become a burden to 
them, actually loathsome to those in a better condition. 
Let us act thus, and God will surely prolong our days. 

■fo tD^o^rnion swh n;rs \mm Sib* 

>& ; D3 rfJipn 1D1K K*?tf !K>n "13 N*S ? nDYlfl 

ip'sh nnn &p) "ft "vrno ^kgp -ph ,nori9 
V? "ia r6in n»S own inn w 1« inpb 

^^ rrisw mvon- or6 »jk -on nirq 



108 THE VOICE OP truth; or 

" Believe not that God will return the donation to its 
respective donor," for God saj^s in the holy Scripture: 
"Life for life" Exod. 21, 23: " The life of the poor was 
about to become extinct, but the morsel of bread has 
saved it. I take the obligation of prolonging the life of 
thy son or of thy daughter when prostrated by severe 
sickness or near to the brink of death." 

Our sages furthermore assert: 

ebViyn \o imb en* iriw i& t v»» wn 

" c«n iS '"did nnpn 

" Whosoever hath satisfied the needy by giving him aid, 
he may believe that God will increase the days of his life, 
even should death approach to summon its victim." 

Reader, forever discriminate and come to the conclusion, 
and make it a manifest of your own conviction, that f. i. 
the swinging and killing and eating of those by us to 
death consigned " Keporath," — brings not forth the de- 
signed. Judaism is better to do without, than with such 
" Minhagim." 

I challenge all those who, under the cloak of learning 
and piety, assert that we are in duty bound to adhere to 
such farces which they have been and are sometimes 
trying still to put on an equal footing with the plain and 
direct words of the holy Bible. The practice of such may 
have become habitual with us, but that proves not that 
light, while existing, never should pour forth its enlivening 
rays into the dark cell of the incarcerated culprit. 

Reader, it has become an actual duty of ours to dis- 
criminate in order to obtain wisdom, — "that ever ready 
faculty of reasoning." Read Pro v. 4 : 

n:\n *sp t^p ^m n^jn >ap n^Dn jtswi 

The wisest act you can do is to endeavor to obtain 
wisdom, and the foremost of all your acquisitions is " rea- 
son." When we shut our eyes to the sight " truth," and 
our ears to the voice of reason, we must become a perfect 
tool in the hands of those, who would use us for their own 
selfish purposes, and will after awhile entirely rely on the 
truth of their invented representations, which renders us 



THE COMFORTS OP LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 109 

culpable and liable to punishment. Man's wisdom and 
reasoning has created Minhagim ; but to cling blindly to 
them would indicate, that we were incompetent to reason, 
not capable of acting in behalf of God through inspiration 
of our own hearts and consciences ; it would tell, that we 
are not able to carry out or to comprehend God's ever- 
lasting laws, stretching forth their light and magnitude 
from the time past — "when this earth of ours rested in a 
dismal darkness" — into this present century, where science 
and knowledge have gained a lofty elevation, a dazzling 
position, high above planets and stars. These eternal laws 
of God are not the offspring of habit, they are not a mere 
tradition ; they are substantial and founded upon that 
eternal truth : There must be light, and the light that was 
there, is there, and will be there. 

Present and coming generation ! This ever shining light ! 
how long yet, before it impregnates your mind, the faculty 
of reasoning, and your heart? so that you may learn that 
it is better to be led by one than to be misled .by scores. 
And I say again, that those various Minhagim existing 
among us, imported as they are from Europe, Asia, per- 
haps Africa are the deep rooted cause of the present vio- 
lation of the pure and distinct divine laws. 

Give us — for we are in want of — Minhagim of prompt- 
ing the heart and supporting our mind to conceive and 
carry out those pious actions by which we are raised 
heavenwards while serving God. The mind must compre- 
hend and the heart must feel to press on to God by 
hallowed devotion. 



ghe glowing of the §amet on $ew §tur f § §tw. 

We P. B. are willing to blow the "Shofar" (cornet) on 
that great day "Roshhashaua ;" but your reasoning on 
this law is not clear to our comprehension ! defenders of 
the existing code of Minhagim ; your definitions and ex- 
planations suit not the present age ! You say : blow the 
Shofar to drive away " Satan and to confound him while 
he is pursuing his machinations against us ;" or to refresh 
the memory of God to think of the sacrifice that Abraham 
has offered for his son. All such has been said and is 



110 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OK 

written ; still reason bears the victory. Is God a human 
being ? liable to forget that we should need to make him 
remember? Does his omniscient justice depend on plain- 
tiffs to urge a suit against us ? Such ideas are no longer 
admissible; this "do so" because it " stands written so" 
is no longer obligatory, and is liable to be rejected. It is 
written that the days of atoning for our sins have been 
fixed in the months of Tishry on account of the then usual 
appearance of the 1th Zodiacal sign "Libra or Scales," 

(0^?&0' Mosna J iui )> 




& 



and thus we could be drawn heavenwards by the scales. 
This is another dose to be taken, but it is not a fitting 
medicine to the sick heart and feeble mind of the present 
age. No ! we better say in common : blowing the cornet 
is to be done in order to hear the shrill and trembling 
sounds, which shall resound on ^he tender strings of out- 
sickly hearts, to cause us to tremble before our own sins, 
or to make us rally and adhere to the standard of Israel 
" God" whom we have forsaken by our trespassing against 
him. Again, it is not " Mosnajim" (the Hebrew name of 
the sign " Libra") which raises us to heaven ; but the puri- 
fication of our heart and the cleansing of all evil thoughts 
from our minds raises us up to " God." 

See what King David says in regard to the blowing of 
the " Shofar." 

mn avh nopn ibtjp Bmm wpn 

" Blow on this month the cornet for the purpose of the 
festival, the time appointed;" if this is done though, for 
the simple reason ^fl^&ntP'^ P)T\ »3 u that it is so or- 
dained to Israel" and without any further impulse of sanc- 
tification 

3py> mbxb mips 

Be convinced " that the j udgment of the Lord, Jacob's, 
will reach you." 

It is to those, who are anxious to serve God, an easy 

matter to do so. We find .in nS HX? H31D1 'D^YV 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. Ill 

(Jerushalmy Desneah Deut. 32 :) as regards the law of 
God. 

am mn pn in xb o 

" Is not a vague and unmeaning expression." 

And does it seem vague to you, then it is owing to your 
own selves ; for yon know not how to explain it to under- 
stand or to conceive the actual will of God, laid down so 
very condensed and therefore so eminently powerful in its 
effect 



0ttr jjjnfos in # (^ontlmntd ^fah. 

We find in Talmud Makath page 23 : 

N3 n^bS np&o rtiyo ryi %bb&. *:n t^nn 
ii ybn^2 -\w ^ n^noi w bv p^ym th 

The 613 laws stated by Moses have been condensed 
into 11 by King David. Eead Psalm 15: " Lord who 
shall abide in thy tabernacle ? who shall dwell on thy holy 
hill? 

1. He that walketh uprightly, 

2. And worketh righteousness, 

3. And speaketh the truth in his heart. 

4. He that deceiveth not with his tongue 

5. Nor does evil to his neighbor, 

6. Nor taketh up reproach against his neighbor. 
T. In whose eyes a vile person is contemptible. 
8. And he who honors those, fearing the Lord. 

9 He that sweareth tc his own hurt and fe'areth not. 

10. He who does not put out his money at usury 

11. Nor takes reward against the innocent. 
Who does all this shall never be moved, etc." 

To the above 11 laws (precepts) with reference to their 
importance says Rashy : 

j-^ke nm \b*m 

" To execute strictly a single one from the foregoing 1 1 
precepts be sufficient." 



112 THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OR 

And the prophet Jesaias condensed them into six ; read 
the 33d chapter, verse 15 : 

rttpwaB yvnn dk'd 

-in 2a ibno van nyj 

tD^on yo^to urn odk 

ynn mino ot dwi 

1. He that walketh righteously 

2. And speaketh uprightly ; 

3. He that despiseth the gain of oppression 

4. That shaketh his hand from holding bribe. 

5. Stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, 

6. And shutteth his eyes from seeing evil. 
He shall dwell on " high !" 

And then came the prophet Micah condensing them into 
three ; see c. 6 : 

" He has caused you to be told of what is good, and 
what the Eternal asketh from the best." 

MtPD nwy 
^n>K Py roS y:¥m 

1. Act righteously. 

2. Practice love. 

3. And walk humbly before thy Lord. 

a Sy vvoym nv^ "itn 

And Jesaias' reduces the same afterwards to two, read 
c. 56: 

i 

The Eternal spoke thus: -] "IDtt !"t3 

1) Obey justice, &DVO nDfc> 

2) And act benevolently, Hp*7¥ ll^yi 



THE COMFORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 113 

And finally came the prophet Habakkuk and condensed 
all the laws into "one !" saying in his 2d chapter: 

in i^Di mv* m x'h nSa? nan 

" Behold the soul that is swelled up, is not upright." 

iTiT irm^n pn^i 

" But the just shall live by his fidelity." 

Friendly reader, listen to those words of our holy 
prophets ! hear them speak ! and gladly will I close with 
only adding : 

You have almost arrived at the actual end of this work 
and will therefore grant leave to the overjoyed and thank- 
ful author, to say before he finally closes : You have only 
read a part of my views, and that in a short manner, for 
time and money, two merciless agents, keep my pen if 
not my thoughts under firm restraint. By a close exami- 
nation of the words of the holy Bible and Talmud we find, 
that all the teachings and instructions of the spiritual and 
principal leaders and Rabbies of Israel terminate in "love 
towards our fellow-men" foremostly, whereby alone we 
honor God and are convinced that our soul and G-od stand 
in direct relation to each other ; that the body is but flesh 
and goes to ashes, whereas the soul, the issue of the will 
of God, returns to higher spheres, just owing to its condi- 
tion of purity and sanctification. 

Guard against the erronous idea of being able to show 
any "kindness" to God himself by acting in correspondence 
with the precepts of the Bible. See what Job says in c. 35. 
" If thou sinnest, what dost thou against him ? If thou 
art righteous, what givest thou to him ? or what receives 
he of thine hand ? Thy wickedness may hurt a man as 
thou art and thy righteousness may profit the son of men." 
Reader, God has offered you a chance of doing " good." 
Do good to all mankind. Behold in man the sacred rela- 
tion of God. Man's soul is God's gift, his superior talents 
God's bountiful donation. Your neighbor is God's ambas- 
sador sent to your imperial court on earth. The mainte- 
nance of your friendly relation to God. is altogether 
depending on how yon treat this godly man, whether or 
not in conformity with that greatest of international laws : 

lira -pn 1 ? ruriKi 



"tH THE VOICE OF TRUTH; OH 

" Love thy neighbor as thyself." 

The rest of the commands and statutes and precepts 
are only to simplify and to explain the former one 

♦ nmrD nx#m mrnn l>3 nr 

Who is }^our neighbor ? £Tot that one alone who lives 
in your immediate vicinity ; not those alone who belong 
to the same creed as yours, but all men! See what the 
Bible says, Exod, c. 11, v. 2, and Israel had even the 
Egyptians, their oppressors and malefactors, to consider 
as ^nj7"i (his friend and neighbor) — that heathen nation 
that practised the grossest idolatry. 

Philanthropy leads on to real " perfection." The trans- 
gressor sins against God, because he trespasses against 
mankind (himself and others). There is no law existing 
between the Maker and thyself exclusively. Your neigh- 
bor is always and forever, directly or indirectly, con- 
cerned in any one of your most private actions. Sin not 
in secret : it ruins thy heart and demoralizes thy better 
feeling. Impurity of the heart deadens the headway of 
all precious, and great, and holy. As the heart so the 
deeds. Our hearts should forever feel that great magnetic 
power which draws us heavenwards ; that power is our 
spiritual relation to God. Deny not your superiority and 
spiritual advantage, otherwise you ignore your direct rela- 
tion to God and would be apt to take refuge in an arbitrary 
medium and place this between thyself and thy God, 
which is idolatry. Do not console thyself by saying : there 
exists no idolatry any more. Mistake not. Sin is the 
result of idolatry. Idolatry tends not towards that way 
by which we reach that holy and most great spirit " God," 
our heavenly relative. To " Him" we must become united ; 
after " His " ways we must walk. " He" is kind — we also 
must be kind ; He is merciful — we must show mercy to 
whom ? To ourselves by not sinning, so we can serve our 
fellow-man with a heart of integrity. While we sin, we 
are placing the welfare of the human family at stake, and 
only for this very reason God punishes the sin of man, 
in order to protect men. The sinner protests against God 
and his providential arrangements, and shakes thereby 
the very foundation of human happiness. It needs not 
to be told that but for neglecting our duties towards our 



THE COMPORTS OF LIFE AND THEIR REVERSES. 115 

neighbor, all the biblical prophets foretold the various 
punishments to come. Sin or vice knows its own folly 
and loves darkness; whereas virtue seeks for light by 
which to benefit mankind. Light, shining forth from the 
East with its dazzling brilliancy, in order to set all aright, 
is the first gift of the Spirit of that great Architect called 
"God!" and we are God's kindred: our spirit ought 
never to cease to clinge to virtue, to bathe forever in that 
celestial stream, "Light." 

It is but too true that the spirit, the fundamental cause 
of all that is glorious to the soul has escaped to our pres- 
ent time, and a mere skeleton as far as true religion is 
concerned fills the plains and the mountains and the 
valleys of this great country. But this spirit is not dead, 
it can be called back to enliven the dry bones (dry cere- 
monial evolutions) as Ezekiel has prophecied, to give a 
substance as sinews, fleSh and skin to the bleaching bones 
of the past. This spirit has in our times and in our coun- 
try a fair sway, where speech is free and everybody's 
conscience at libert}?-. This is the very country where 
hypocrisy should not be tolerated, that great evil by which 
the true religion has been for so many years kept well- 
wrapped-up in order to smother it in the cloak of ceremony, 
under the weight of the sickening " Minhagim." These 
latter have done their best to keep a nation in darkness 
even on the soil of enlightenment. Present generation ! 
make our "Talmidim Chachamim" that has been for so 
mairy years at the head of our church-affairs, responsible for 
their "stand still!" Whether they have not known any more 
than what has been taught to them, or have wilfully kept 
us prisoners on the old ship "Zion," which has been laying 
long enough at its moorings and ought to-be set afloat 
upon the river of time — make, I say, those men give an 
account of themselves ! for the Talmud itself! (the ad- 
herers and. admirers of which they profess- to be !) has 
doomed them by the very word: " Any Talmud Chacham 
(scholar) without any practical knowledge .of his own, 
(beneficial to mankind ;) is less than a carrion." 

:uob nnvo nbnj ,nn u \**w rih Sd 

There is the cause of the spirit's absence, and it is easy 
for you, dear reader, on American soil, to see the entire 



116 THE VOICE OP TRUTH; OR THE COMFORTS OP LIFE, ETC. 

prophecy of Bzekiel, c. 3t, fulfilled ; for the storm is 
raging, from all quarters of the earth has Israel assembled 
here ; the iron mountains (of prejudice) are removed, (the 
blood of ever so many martyrs of freedom has hallowed 
this soil). The spirit, the right one, has not forever for- 
saken his beloved kindred, and is ready to move into your 
hearts when he knows that he will be a welcome guest 1 



FINIS. 



m$ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS *] 



021 898 575 



